Resonance of Fates
by frozenseed
Summary: -Apocrypha AU- After decades of failures in their attempt to create a replacement for the missing Greater Grail, the Einzberns finally resorted to seek aid from their former Ruler-class Servant. A decision that would greatly change the course of fate. And the self-claimed 'worthless, unacknowledged sham of a saint' might finally obtain his own salvation. (earlier chapters updated)
1. tears

**At first glance, the main pairing here might seem absurd, but not really. I often wondered what would happen if in Apocrypha timeline Amakusa Shirou met Irisviel who looked almost identical to his Master in the Third Holy Grail War. He seemed to be very close with the unnamed Einzbern (I decided to give her a name for this story to show how important she is). I've have read somewhere that he is in truth trying to save humanity at all cost to forgive himself for not being able to save someone.** ** **And** I believe that person is his Master because... who else really? So if her death alone managed to create such a great impact by turning him from a noble and heroic 'saint' into a ruthless villain, she must have been very dear to him.**

 **Now here it is. This is my first Fate/ story. Admittedly, I'm not that knowledgeable about the universe and lore of this franchise, but I am trying my best. As you can see, my favorite characters are Amakusa Shirou and Karna. I wouldn't lie. At first, it was only because their awesomeness level is far beyond my expectation, but eventually I come to love their interesting personalities and heartbreaking stories.** **Also before I forget, I'd like to mention that English is not my main language, but again, I am trying my best here!**

 **01**

* * *

 _1930 Fuyuki's Third Holy Grail War_

 _Similar to the previous iterations of Holy Grail Wars, this latest war brought forth such an undeniable ominous atmosphere for everyone involved. The failures of the first and second wars only served to eat away nearly all semblance of confidence they desperately held that this time would be different. At this point, they just wanted this war to end with a wish being granted if only to prove that all the tears and bloodshed were not for naught. But it seemed like even this modest hope would still remain as nothing but a cruel fantasy._

 _In the eve of another World War, one might think that the worldwide conflicts would be the main if not the only focus of the world, and thus made it easier for the Grail War's participants to hold their ritual. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be that way. Somehow, the news of the event that was supposed to be a secret had spread out not only to the Imperial Army, but also even to the infamous Nazis._

 _The inevitable happened._

 _The brutal battles quickly spread out all over the Imperial Capital uncontrollably. It was the first and only time in history that advanced Magecrafts and powerful Noble Phantasms clashed against modern war machines like canons and tanks. The result was something that could only be described as nightmare, a horrific but ironically glorious nightmare._

 _ _N_ ear the culmination of this war, there were only two Servants left._

 _One of them was the Einzbern's Ruler-class Servant, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada. His special class aside, he was by no means an outstanding Heroic Spirit. The privilege of the Ruler-class managed to make up for his lack in raw power admittedly. Even then, as someone of great virtue, he considered it dishonorable and unethical to use the Ruler Command Spells freely to gain advantage over his opponents. He refused to use them even when it came to a life and death situation as long as the other Servants didn't intentionally do something evil. So in the end, he was basically just a low level Servant trying to protect his precious Master.  
_

 _The pair managed to survive thus far only thanks to his wisdom, patience,_ _ _and_ ___intelligence_._

 _He never involved himself in the all too chaotic battles, and used every opportunity to observe his opponents so he could devise future strategies based on their show of powers. And to be more prepared before he decided to engage an enemy Servant in a fight, he always tried to get as much information as possible from them with the Ruler's True Name Discernment ability. Most importantly, he always made sure to hide his Master before he went to battle, and it was surprisingly not because his survival completely relied on the homunculus girl's life._

 _They both had lost everything._

 _The Nazis had discovered and taken over the Einzbern castle not long after the war started. The only place they could have some much needed rest was this large tree in the middle of a snowy forest that they currently sat under after a fierce battle with the last surviving Saber. They won and thankfully the enemy Master decided to leave peacefully after her Servant died. Their latest victory was not without a cost, though. Ruler was left completely drained, and suffered many serious wounds. But it meant very little to him because he was just happy that his Master ended up unhurt._

 _Though it took him by surprise to see silent tears falling down the girl's cheeks as she carefully treated the nasty gash on his chest._

 _"Lumina-chan..." He patted her fair hair fondly. "You know how glad I am that you're able to express your emotions more freely now. But honestly, I've been expecting to see your sweet smiles after our hard-earned victory. So, why the tears?"_

 _The girl, Luminasviel von Einzbern was the first homunculus he had ever met. She existed for the sole purpose of becoming his Master._ _At first, he didn't know what to do with her because of her inability to express emotions. But it didn't take him long to understand that she merely didn't have any clue on how to show what she felt. It was then that he decided to treat her as a normal human being who deserved to be cherished and respected. And it was only inevitable that they grew very close to the point that he had become the one reason for her to live her life, thus ironically made her willfully embrace the base purpose of her existence._

 _She'd never say it out loud, but s_ _ _ecretly s_ he also loved the endearment name he had given her even though she disliked it at first. Strangely enough, however, this time she didn't even pretend to whine as usual._

 _"I do nothing wrong."_ _ _ _She just glared cutely at the sometimes irritating but ever so warm smile on his face._ "_Humans are supposed to cry when they're hurt and when their dear ones got hurt..._ _So, why the smile?"_

 _"It is because I couldn't be happier, seeing you unharmed... alive. Yes, I'm wounded, but you know what? I'm willing to bear all the pain in the world just to keep you this way, well and safe."_

 _That was quite a surprise to her that that paused in her work. It was nearly done anyway. Besides, her Servant's spiritual body allowed him to heal faster. So she focused her mind on his interesting claim. She thought hard for a moment as if his words were something that came out of a bible. And once she reached a conclusion, she looked right into his eyes with her usual serious expression._

 _"For the record, I have read enough romance novels to make this valid assumption based on what you just said. So, I will ask you this to confirm it." Here she took a breath slowly to make it more dramatic. "Are you by any chance in love with me, Ruler?"_

 _The secluded place under the tree fell into a complete silence with the girl Master keeping her serious stare at her now dumbstruck Servant. Her brows furrowed as she tried to analyzed his out-of-character behavior. She began to get worried though when the awkward moment lasted longer than she felt comfortable with._

 _"I am mistaken then... Perhaps my other assumptions make more sense after all. I suppose even though I don't like it, it wouldn't be such a surprise if Ruler actually sees me as a little sister or worse... a daughter."_

 _And that one 'taboo' word at the end of her statement finally forced the poor Servant's instinct to act._

 _"NO! Definitely not a daughter!" And he sighed desperately. "Listen, Lumina-chan. You are the most precious person to me in the whole world, and certainly not because I don't know anyone else. But for the time being, that's all I can say about what you mean to me. Trust me. I will be more honest with you when I'm ready. Because you deserve all the good in the world."_

 _Hearing that, she smiled sweetly in relief. He meant the world to her, if it wasn't obvious already. A rejection from him would surely break her beyond repair. She knew he would never do that to her, though. They would always be there for each other. But as she thought more about it, her eyes turned glassy again._

 _"I'm just a homunculus created for this war, though. I will not live long... Isn't it unfair, Ruler?" Her eyes wandered away, seeing nothing in particular. "I wish to live a normal life too. I dream of traveling around the world with you... seeing the breathtaking beauty of nature... meeting nice people along the way... trying various good foods when we take a break... going to unique festivals too if we come across them. But... is it too selfish of me to ask for those things, Ruler?"_

 _She had such a_ _ _ _bittersweet expression, but it only highlighted__ how pure, innocent, and simply beautiful she was. ___He stared__ _ _ _ _in awe,__ at her unusually expressive face.__

 _He could only wonder how such a precious existence could care so deeply for a worthless failure like him._ _ _There was no word to describe how precious she was to him. Somehow, her very presence alone gave him hope. It allowed him to try to forgive himself for the great sins he had committed in his past. That was something that he had never even expected.__ _ _But he had nothing to give back to her except for words...__

 _"Absolutely not." He gathered all the confidence he had. "That's why at this very moment I promise you, Luminasviel von Einzbern. I will win the grail for you, just for you, so you would never again have to worry about such a thing." He looked at her then with the most genuine smile he had. "And after that, I will take you to a wonderful journey around the world until you become a master in expressing joy and happiness!"_

 _In such a pleasant surprise, he suddenly found himself leaning against the tree with her sitting on his lap, her arms around his neck, and her tear-stained face pressed closely to it. Then there was a giggle,_ _ _her unmistakably_ awkward_ _ _and__ _ _ _ _rare___ giggle.  
_

 _"Before you ask, I heard this is how humans express their gratitude, relief, fondness, and most importantly... love."_

 _She hurriedly hid her blushing face then as she felt completely overwhelmed with a strange giddy sense of embarrassment that she had never experienced before._ _In return, he quickly wrapped his arms around her petite body with a chuckle, and rested his cheek atop of her head._

 _"Then I will gladly return the favor, Lumina-chan."_

 _That was just what she wanted from him. She was just so happy that the awkward giggle escaped her lips again and again until soon later her breathing evened out. It_ _ _seemed that_ she had begun to feel sleepy, sleepy enough to just say anything that crossed her mind.  
_

 _"One more thing, Ruler... Is it okay for me to have a baby too? Yours, of course..."_

 _Almost died in shock and embarrassment, the now blushing madly Ruler-class Servant seriously considered using a sleep spell on his beloved Master. Though in the end, he sighed resignedly with a warm smile._

 _"You know your wish is my command, my beloved Master. For now, though, please spare your faithful Servant from any more of your too deep for mere mortals questions, and go to sleep already!"_

 _"Fine..." She pouted cutely. "But I want a baby boy, Ruler! He would look just like a male version of me in appearance, but his personality would be like Shirou Mk. II. He would be brave, noble, chivalrous, kind... caring... but often times... silly... just like you..." And finally, she fell asleep with a serene smile on her lovely face._

 _As they held each other intimately under the great tree, surrounded by ethereal snows, they both shared a moment of sacred bliss that lasted throughout the night. It would surely be a grave sin to disrupt them, because the cruel fate had already decided that a tragic end to their tale would befall them the very next day..._

 _/_

1986 Middle East expedition

In a remote location somewhere within Iraq territory, a youthful-looking white-haired male woke up from his brief sleep inside an ancient ruin, and accidentally hit his head on one of the stone pillars. His eyes went wide, though not from the pain, not even the slightest bit. Regardless, he needed some fresh air to cool down his mind and body, so he decided to finish his work for the day and get out of the ruin. The air in there was too hot that he was forced to discard his shirt, showing off his well-tanned and muscular but full of scars upper body.

As soon as he was outside, he took a deep breath of cool evening air before giving his mind a rare moment to ponder over the dream he just had.

To be honest, that particular dream was in actuality a bittersweet memory from a long distant past that he had been trying to keep hidden and safe within the deepest part of his soul. Don't get him wrong. He cherished those memories more than anything. That was why just for this one time, he allowed himself to admit that his nigh impossible quest for humanity's salvation was in actuality because of the fact that he could never forgive himself for failing the girl in those memories. But for the sake of his undeserved sanity, he always tried to keep this safely hidden even from himself.

He had never shed tears, not during the hell in Shimabara, not even when he held her lifeless but still ever so beautiful figure close. He reserved all his tears for when he found his own salvation, even though he didn't believe a failure and sinner like him deserved any semblance of salvation. Not to mention, to achieve the ultimate salvation for humanity, he would eventually have to walk on the path of a villain. He didn't mind, though. He was willing and ready to bear all the sins, pains, and sufferings in the world to create a new, pure world. A world where everyone is happy, everyone is good, and everyone is perfect.

Still, he could never lie to himself that he secretly and selfishly wished that he could see her again, even just once, just enough to apologize to her. He knew he would be the most blessed person in the world if God gave him a second chance. And he would surely become the happiest person ever if she still accepted him. But it was all just a silly fantasy.

The only thing left for him was to become the heaven's tool that would eventually be discarded to hell. He was nothing but a mean for humanity to reach salvation as a whole. And he had since long ago completely accepted this role, this fate.

In the end, with a heavy but full of resolve heart, he once again returned those precious memories into their sanctuary before locking them away for probably the last time.

His holy task was calling him, and he could do nothing but obey willingly. Even though so far his years of expedition still held no result, he would not give up. He would never betray his faith. It didn't matter to him that all his life, this faith had brought him nothing but sorrow and despair. Because after all was said and done, without his faith, he would be nothing, a worthless nothing.

A while later, just after he finished packing his equipment and once again donned his black priest attire, a familiar old farmer who had generously accepted him in his residence for the past few months greeted him.

"Father Shirou, it is almost time for dinner! Your self-proclaimed mother had been shouting at me to bring you home since the sun went down. You know how she is. If I don't get you home in time, I would be forced to sleep with the camels tonight!"

They both chuckled easily at the farmer's usual over-dramatic description of his antics with his wife. And as usual lately, the guest decided to play along.

"Now now, such an ill thought is very unbecoming of you, Mr Ibrahim. I'm sure dear 'mother' means well. Perhaps she's only worried that the camels would be sad and lonely without your company."

"Oh you two surely make such a great team in abusing this old camel. Why am I not surprised?" The old man scowled playfully before a sincere look settled on his wrinkled face. "We only have daughters, and all of them had left the village to seek better lives in the city, so she was so happy now that you're here. Truly. It might seem impudent for me to say this, but we genuinely consider you as the son we never had."

The living Heroic Spirit was honestly touched.

This old man and his wife were the very example of all the good in humanity. The couple were faithful Muslims just like the rest of the villagers, but they treated a priest of the Church like him with the utmost respect and kindness since the beginning. Even till this day, they always refused his insistent offer of money in return for their generous shelter. All he could do so far in return was teaching them to read and write, along with English that they now could speak quite well. And they always accepted each lesson from him with joy and gratitude.

If he was not so broken, he would've shed tears already.

"I don't even know how to express my gratitude, Mr Ibrahim... Honestly, I don't think someone like me even deserves the littlest bit of your kindness."

"What do you mean someone like you? A handsome young man with absurd humbleness? Listen here, boy. You don't need to do anything. But if you insist... I wouldn't mind if you put some good words about me later for the old woman."

And once again, they shared a laugh together as they made their return to the village.

The village itself was very small and secluded from larger civilizations. All of the villagers were very friendly and polite. They were mostly farmers with some of them also acted as traders for their goods with the other villages and cities. But what amazed him the most was how they were ever so grateful for everything their God bestowed upon them. He still remembered the joyful celebration they held after the electricity finally reached their village not long ago. They lived such simple but fulfilling lives. If only the world was full of people like them, he could just let go of everything and accept God's judgement for him...

Sometimes later, the two arrived at the humble abode they lived in to see a familiar old woman waiting at the terrace. Immediately, she ran toward the young man with a worried expression on her wrinkled face once she noticed how tired he looked.

"Oh my God! What have the old fool done to you, dear?!"

Her husband groaned miserably as he watched her frantically fussing over her dear 'son' who could only smile awkwardly.

"What have I done wrong this time? If you really want me to sleep with the camels that badly just say it already!"

It seemed like that was the wrong thing to say, because his wife slowly turned her head toward him with a warning glare.

"Oh, you so sleep with them for the rest of the week! Don't you understand already?! If only you brought one of them with you as a ride for our poor Shirou, he wouldn't have been this tired."

This bickering might sound rather heated, but the boy had already known from the beginning that it was just their own strange ways to show how unbreakable the bond between them was. Since they all looked tired already, he decided to step in this time.

"Calm down, ma'am. Mr Ibrahim actually has a good reason behind this. A leisure walk on the way home in a nice evening like this is a good opportunity for him to share his wisdom with me. And trust me, I've learned a lot from him."

At that, the old man gave him a proud nod that made them both chuckled in amusement. Not knowing what actually happened, the old lady looked at them in slight bewilderment.

"Is that so? Well, alright then. The dinner is ready. Let's get you two cleaned up. The old man also can sleep inside, though I feel rather bad for the camels... They would feel lonely tonight."

This time, the three of them laughed together as they finally walked into the house.

The dinner time was such a warm occasion. They made silent prayers in their own respective believes before they started. The meals were modest, but it tasted very good, just like everything the old lady cooked. Shirou almost never had meals together with family, not even with his foster family. However, eating together with this people felt like they were real family.

It was strange.

He had never let anyone get too close to him since the end of the third war, not even his honorable foster father. But somehow, this old couple had been stubbornly reaching out their hands to him, trying to draw him close to their warm embrace.

Deep in thought, he had paused in his meal with a faraway look on his eyes. And it didn't escape the old lady's notice.

"What's the matter, dear? Do you miss your home?" She decided to use this opportunity to make him open up to them a bit more then. "Maybe it would make you feel better if you talk about it with us. We would love to know. You've told us about your foster family. Hmm... What about a girl then? Is there a lovely young lady waiting for you back home, hmm?"

The unexpected question made the males look up at her in surprise. The old one recovered quickly enough, though.

"Have you gone senile, old woman? Surely someone as handsome and fabulous as our boy already has a sweet young maiden as his intended!"

And this was where the boy found himself in an awkward situation with the expectant gazes of Mr and Mrs Ibrahim glued on him. Eventually, he sighed in light amusement and decided to be honest, because they deserved no less.

"Actually there had been one, not an intended, but still most dear to me... more than anything... the one and only." A bittersweet smile crossed his face. "Even though now I could never be with her, I have no intention of finding another. Because I have given myself to her completely and willingly, and there's no way I would ever regret it."

That was not what the old couple expected at all, but both of them could feel their boy's misery even though he tried to hide it. A sad look appeared on the old lady's face despite the encouraging smile she gave him.

"That is very sweet of you, dear. But why couldn't you be with her? I know sometimes it's difficult. Even this old married couple needed to fight hard to be together when we were young, but we never gave up. And believe me, it's all worth it in the end."

In response, the boy gave her a bittersweet smile as he gathered the strength to give an answer.

"Sadly, she has passed away..."

"Oh..." The old lady quickly covered her mouth in shock. "I am so sorry, dear... Please forgive this tactless old woman. I can't even imagine..."

But she couldn't finish her words as she burst into tears. Her husband instinctively drew her into his arms before giving his own apologetic nod. And their boy in return gave them a reassuring smile.

"Don't be, Mrs Ibrahim. You've done nothing wrong. You and Mr Ibrahim are only concerned about me, and I am deeply touched. But you don't have to worry. I will manage. Because I still have an important responsibility, and I will not stop until I can fulfill it."

His words managed to reassure them. They smiled warmly at him. And the husband couldn't help feeling so proud of him.

"You are strong, my boy, very very strong. I just want you to remember that at the end of the days, your old self-proclaimed mother and father here will always welcome you home, wherever you ended up to be."

And here it was again. This two old persons had once again reminded him why he loved humanity so much.

"Arigatou..."

That was the only thing he could say in return. His self-proclaimed parents didn't know exactly what the word meant, but they understood completely what he was trying to tell them. And with that, they continued their meals with a more lighthearted air.

Later as usual, they spent the rest of the peaceful evening in the living room, continuing the old couple's study. It was such nice occasion for them as they shared a joke every now and then until suddenly they were taken by surprise when a strange white dove flew into the house through the open window.

Shirou could easily tell that it was a Familiar, and it carried a white envelope with it. The creature hovered around him quietly for a moment before he gently took the paper and let it fly away.

"I never thought anyone would care to send me a letter. This must be important..." He gave an apologetic smile then. "Please, excuse me."

The first thing that caught his attention was the distinctive seal on its front. He still recognized it very well after so long. It was none other than the Einzbern family's authentic seal. He briefly wondered what they wanted with him after not having contact for decades. It didn't surprise him that they were aware of him having been incarnated by the Greater Grail at the end of the third war. In the end, he decided to just see for himself, and opened the envelope.

 _Greetings, Lord Amakusa Shirou Tokisada._

 _It has been so long since our partnership in the Third Holy Grail War. You brought us closer than ever to the Greater Grail back then. We would have become the true victor of the war for sure if not for the cursed Nazis' underhanded move. Nevertheless, we still remember and speak highly of your great deeds even till this day. And for that reason, we would like to invite you for some tea to finally show you our belated appreciation. Please, visit us anytime you wish to._

 _Your always trusted ally, Jubstacheit von Einzbern._

To say he wasn't conflicted would be a lie. It was clear to him that the Einzberns needed his help, and they seemed to be desperate enough to contact him. He supposed meeting them again would not be so bad. They had vast knowledge that could help him in his quest, especially about the Third Magic. It had the potential to become a new alliance with mutual benefits. However, he was still unsure. Not because he was afraid that it might be a trap, not even the least bit. As much as he didn't wish to admit it, he knew the one thing he was afraid of was the awakening of old memories at full force once he met them.

Seeing his troubled expression, Mrs Ibrahim worriedly approached him, followed by her not less worried husband.

"Is everything alright, dear? You seemed troubled by the letter..."

Her voice snapped him out of his deep musing, and he gave them a reassuring smile.

"Oh, it's from an old friend of mine. We haven't seen each other for so long, and he asked me to visit him in Germany. I guess I'm just not sure what to expect because things have changed and I'm not who I used to be. There are some memories that are better be left alone, I suppose..."

They seemed to accept his vague but not outright dishonest reply, though the old man still felt the need to help.

"You know we trust your judgement, Father Shirou... Still, this old man wishes to give you a different view. You see, it might be wise to face the past, even the most difficult ones, and try to make peace with them. And if we are blessed, we might even find some enlightenment from it."

Those words reached deep into his conflicted mind, shedding light from within. It made the old woman feel relieved as she decided to give her own support.

"Besides, you have been working too hard lately, dear. As much as I don't want you to leave us, I hope a time away would do good for your weary soul."

Their kindness and understanding once again left him speechless. He could only gave them a nod of gratitude in return.

It was then decided that he would take his leave the next day. The old couple insisted that the three of them should sleep together in the living room for his last night in this house, at least until he returned again. He didn't have the heart to make an objection to their silly but genuinely sweet wish. And as expected, they almost didn't get any sleep throughout the night due to the constant jokes and funny bickering. But somehow, the time together managed to give him a much more fulfilling rest than just sleeping alone undisturbed.

Early morning the next day, the unlikely priest was finally ready to take his leave. The very kind old couple who had given him a wonderful shelter for the last eight months tried really hard not to cry in front of him. He gave them a deep bow, but the two hurriedly tried to straighten him back. They did appreciate the gesture, but to them it was completely unnecessary. He settled with his usual warm smile then.

"This is it. Let us hope this is not a good bye. Thank you... for everything."

This time, the old woman couldn't help herself from giving him a motherly hug.

"Come back soon, dear. And please don't hesitate to bring friends or anyone close to you when you do."

Here, the old man took the opportunity to give him a proud slap on the back.

"And remember, boy, when you return here, you must say 'I'm home!' with a huge grin on your face!"

"Understood." He couldn't help but share one last chuckle with them. "Please take care, both of you. And keep the silly jokes alive!"

With that, the wayward Heroic Spirit finally turned around, and took his first step toward a new path that would dramatically change the course of fate.

/

He always enjoyed travelings, because in a sense, he'd like to think that he did it for _her_. By doing this, although blindly, he tried to convince himself that it was an effort, no matter how futile it was, to realize her dream. Her memory would always live on with him, so he would take it upon himself to live his life for her too. Often times, he even hopelessly pretended that she was there by his side as long as he didn't try to chance a look at her...

The journey from a remote village in Iraq to the secluded castle on top of a mountain range in Germany was no different. He enjoyed the scenery of the vast desert as he rode on an old bus, the buzzing city as he got to the airport, the glamorous sky as he flew on a plane, and the wondrous snow-covered forest as he climbed the mountain. There was no trouble in his travel. He didn't even have any problems in adjusting to the drastic change of climate from the hot desert to the cold snowy mountains.

Along the way, he met nice people and ate good foods. _She_ would've been so happy, he thought with a light mirth. Unfortunately, he didn't come across any festivals. He knew she wouldn't have complained, though, because as long as they stayed together, nothing else mattered.

It was kind of strange really, but he was in a good mood, something very rare for him.

He even lost track of time until he found himself at the outskirt of the forest where the grandiose Einzbern castle stood. The gate was already opened, so he continued on without breaking a step. They seemed to have been expecting his arrival, he noticed, already preparing some unnecessarily formal welcome for him that made him raise an eyebrow.

Two rows of servants and staffs stood meticulously on each side of the main pathway to the castle. At the end of it, in front of the lavish front doors of the castle, stood the head of the esteemed magus family himself in his never-changing strict posture. He didn't stood alone, though, surprisingly enough. To his right, a petite and feminine figure stood awkwardly...

And brilliant maroon met jaded gold.

At once, he, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, the Ruler-class Servant of the Third Holy Grail War, completely lost himself. He fell to his knees as soon as he had a good look at the girl. And tears, the very firsts he had ever shed, all he had saved all his life for when he finally found his salvation, fell freely down his face.

There is nothing more unpredictable than fate. The question was, would this time it end up to be unpredictably cruel again just like all he had experienced in his past, or maybe unpredictably... generous?

* * *

 **So, how is it? I hope it's enjoyable. Thank you for reading!**


	2. meetings

**I really appreciate all the responses. Honestly, I have a real bad tendency of easily losing interest to continue a story if it doesn't seem that much interesting to others.**

 **Anyway, for the sake of the plot, in this AU Shirou had not been aware that Darnic was the true culprit behind the Greater Grail's disappearance.**

 **02**

* * *

 _In the eve of the Third Holy Grail War, the Einzberns had at last resolved their disagreements in regard to which class of Servant they were going to summon for the war. The majority was convinced that, even though unpredictable in their nature, an Avenger-class Servant would be able to easily slaughter their opponents. On the other hand, the senior members of the family considered it would be wiser and obviously safer to use a Ruler-class Servant that had an unparalleled advantage in the form of their Command Spells. In the end, Jubstacheit von Einzbern ended the argument by letting the would be Master of their faction to make the decision._

 _The homunculus girl who didn't look older than seventeen easily chose Ruler. Her reason was simple, too simple in fact. She preferred Ruler more because it sounded peaceful, nice, unlike Avenger that seemed to promise only chaos. Obviously, as a quite person herself, she would like to have someone with Ruler's characteristic as a partner rather than an angry and troublesome Avenger._

 _The decision was met with no protest if only because no one dared to oppose the head of the family._

 _At once, they made all the necessary preparation to summon a Heroic Spirit that could meet the criteria as a Ruler-class. It was by no mean such a simple task since there had been almost no one that could be considered as a saint in the Far East history. But they managed to discover one eventually. The ritual to summon the Servant was immediately held in the main hall of their castle after that._

 _The girl who was the newest member of the family succeeded on the first try, and they all held their breath as a mysterious figure appeared in front of her._

 _"Uh, hello? I am Amakusa Shirou Tokisada..." His warm golden eyes met her cold maroon ones. "It is nice to meet you, my Master!"_

 _He smiled warmly at the oddly impassive girl before giving her a deep bow. The male Ruler-class Servant seemed to be around his new Master's age appearance wise. But even with his ornate samurai attire, he didn't look that much remarkable._

 _The ones presence couldn't help voicing their personal opinions in whispers._

 _"Who is it again? A child of a feudal lord or something?"_

 _"A rebel boy, I heard."_

 _"A boy? Are you certain? He looks more like a girl to me..."_

 _"Admittedly, he does look feminine what with that black silky hair in a long ponytail."_

 _"He's even prettier than our 'mute' girl!"_

 _"Now, pretty looks aside, can we seriously rely on this faux saint?"_

 _"Is it too late to cancel the contract and summon an Avenger instead?"_

 _And these continued on for a while. They very much doubted this Servant could stand a chance against western heroes and legends. It seemed like the boy wouldn't be able to do much if he wasn't a Ruler. Even their leader himself slowly began to lose hope of finally winning the war. Unfortunately, they had already done a sever interference in the system by summoning a Ruler-class Servant. They couldn't afford to make any more risks._

 _Interestingly enough, the girl Master just kept her emotionless gaze on her new Servant who tried to not look fazed by the_ _ _rude_ comments. It was hard to tell, but she was actually intrigued by the boy and his smile. He was the first person who had ever given her a smile... and what a nice smile it was. But if she remained silent, she would be rude to him too like the others, so after a brief consideration, she finally opened her mouth.  
_

 _"Only a fool would ever underestimate_ _ **my**_ _Ruler. He would win the war. I can see it in his eyes."_

 _Her declaration managed to put the hall into a complete silence in an instant._

 _Without another word, she then turned around and made her leave. It took_ _ _h_ er Servant a good few seconds to recover from his surprise before he quickly moved forward and happily fell into steps behind her. Never in his life had he ever been surprised like that, least of all by a girl no older than him..._

/

If there was something that he could be proud of, it was his composure. He had never lost himself, not even when he was about to be decapitated. He didn't know why for sure, but he believed it was because of his faith. Everything that happened to him was by God's order, and he as a faithful servant would never question it. Every suffering and despair was God's merciful way to open his eyes, to show him the reality, the innate problem of the world that he had to overcome, so he could create a new, pure world.

It was natural then that he tried to convince himself that what happened earlier was nothing but a strange dream caused by a case of anxiety. He admitted that in the back of his mind, his worries about meeting with the Einzberns couldn't be cast away completely.

Still, he couldn't find any logical explanation for the traces of tears on his cheeks.

There was also the fact that somehow, without his knowledge, he ended up inside this cozy room with a hearth nearby to keep it warm. He found himself comfortably sitting in a nice seat with a warm cup of tea was already there on top of an ornate table in front of him. And sitting across the table, Jubstacheit von Einzbern himself appeared to have been waiting for him to return to his senses for a while now.

"Is something the matter, Lord Amakusa? We couldn't tell what has happened to you, but we were certain that you weren't being possessed..."

So, it wasn't a dream after all. It was more likely that he hallucinated. Meeting the Einzberns again after so long resulted in his mind unconsciously conjuring an image that he so wished to see. His reaction was still highly unexpected to him, but now at least he could done his so warm and so fake smile again.

"Your concern is appreciated, Jubstacheit-dono. I am alright now. Having white hair is a blessing, but it also comes with drawbacks. One of them is what you all unfortunately witnessed earlier. My apologies. And it's Father Shirou now if you please."

His Charisma aside, he seriously doubted the seasoned old magus would buy such rubbish. He knew he wouldn't if he was the one who heard it. But it seemed like the day was full of surprises to him.

"I see." The nobleman nodded in polite understanding. "So, there are indeed drawbacks as the result of your forced incarnation as a human again. I offer you my condolence, Father Shirou."

Well, no one saw that coming... He needed to get serious, though, so he took a sip of the tea to help him clear his mind.

"Thank you. But enough with my pitiful problems. It's not a pleasant subject to discuss. I'm sure we have a much more important matter to discuss."

"As you wish, Lord Ama- I mean, Father Shirou. We could save the pleasantries for later then... Now, surely you are already aware that the planned time for the next Holy Grail War is near. And yet, the likeliness for it to happen is very low for an obvious reason."

Yes, the fourth iteration of the event that had been most anticipated by the magus society was supposedly coming quite soon. Unknown to anyone else, Shirou had been spending most of his second chance of life in preparation to claim a secure victory. That was why he had stayed in the Middle East for the last several years, searching for a catalyst to summon a certain Servant that would be a vital part of his plan.

"Is that so?" He pretended to look clueless. "I've heard that the Einzberns have been working for a new Greater Grail immediately after the previous war..."

For a brief moment, the family head's expression changed slightly to something that could be considered as shame.

"We have tried all we could. And with a shame, I admit that we haven't come to the expected result."

"That is unfortunate, but completely understandable. Recreating something as miraculous as the original Greater Grail surely is not an easy task."

"I shouldn't have been surprised that someone of your caliber could understand, Father Shirou. Unfortunately, the other founder families are far less intelligent than you. They have been senselessly pressuring us to solve the problem by any means necessary."

From this point, he could tell what the old magus was thinking. Shirou himself had considered this option occasionally, but he had trusted more in the Einzbern's ability to create the replacement. That was until he received the invitation from them. And now, it was time to slowly stop playing clueless.

"I'm sorry to say this, Jubstacheit-dono, but even I don't have the ability to locate the missing Greater Grail. There's a great possibility that it had already been destroyed during the chaos of the World War II. Even if somehow it miraculously survived, it could still end up anywhere what with the defeat of the Nazis."

Surprisingly, the nobleman smiled in response, and not without a hint of smugness.

"That is where you are mistaken, Father Shirou. Up to this point, the Greater Grail is still very much intact. We the Einzberns possess the mean to know its condition despite our inability to locate it. And as a living Heroic Spirit with such outstanding intelligence and unparalleled talents, you are the only one hope for us if we wish to recover the missing artifact."

Now that he thought about it, the Einzbern head's perception of him was quite spot on. If he gave his all by using up every resources and connections he had, he was confident that he could locate the artifact in less than a decade. He would gain a lot of troubles and unnecessary enemies along the way for sure. But the main problem was to fully operate the Greater Grail, a ritual in the form of a Holy Grail War would still be required beforehand. And in the end, he would be left exhausted and with no time to finish his own preparation.

There was no other option, he knew that, but he still needed to secure his chances.

"Let's say I agree to cooperate, what would the Einzberns offer to help in this endeavor?"

"Obviously, we offer full financial support. Most importantly, however, we also have one thing that would surely help with the search."

"... And that is?"

If it hadn't been disturbing enough already, the nobleman smiled wider since he had successfully piqued his guest's interest.

"We have invented a special homunculus that fits perfectly for this task. She was originally born as a substitute for the Lesser Grail, but recently, we found out that as an unexpected result, she also possesses a unique ability to sense a Greater Grail's presence within a reasonable radius."

Well, that was truly unexpected. Understandably, anything regarding homunculi was a touchy subject for the Einzbern's former Servant, but he managed to set aside his personal feelings quite well this time. His logic took over his mind, and as a result, he easily approved what he just heard.

"That would be very convenience indeed."

"I am glad to hear that, Father Shirou. Now, I would also like to propose a permanent alliance between us if you don't mind working with us again."

And that one statement seemed to seal the deal for him. Having all of the Einzbern's vast resources in his grasp would surely make things easier. He would be able to put most of his unnecessary concerns to rest if all went well.

He finished up his cup of tea in a way that showed his confident about this.

"It seems like we are coming to an agreement, Jubstacheit-dono."

"Excellent. If you wish to request anything in return for your assistance, you just need to tell us, and we will do everything in our power to provide it."

"That wouldn't be necessary. We basically share the same dream here after all. We wish for the revival of the Third Magic, and eventually the ascension of the human race, or what I personally prefer to call... the salvation of humanity."

At once, his persona changed dramatically.

After the event of the Third Holy Grail War, Jubstacheit never underestimated their former Ruler-class Servant ever again, and had since developed a remarkable sense of respect for him. However at that very moment, he felt something that he had never expected he could ever feel. The unpredictable Amakusa Shirou Tokisada with his signature fake smile had somehow made him feel fear.

"As you wish, Lord Amakusa..." He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Now if you please, let's introduce you with your would be partner."

"It would be my pleasure. And it is Father Shirou now, Jubstacheit-dono, in case you've forgotten."

With that, the meeting finished for the time being. It was clear that they had come to an agreement. Any further details would be discussed later as they made all the necessary preparations.

In his mind, Shirou had already started to make necessary adjustments to his already complex plan as he silently walked alongside his 'new' ally through series of hallways. He didn't bother to admire the details of the castle. Surely it wasn't that much different than their lesser base in Japan. He only ceased his deep thinking once he found that they had arrived at the castle's large backyard.

He felt it then.

He felt the unmistakable presence first before he even had a chance to look. As far as he knew, only ones of the same soul could emit the same presence. And right at that moment, he felt the exact same presence of the one presence he most cherished beyond anything. With this unbelievable realization, he then braced himself to look up at the one who so undeniably gave off such an unmistakable presence.

There were only two possibilities.

One, the rubbish excuse he made spontaneously earlier ended up to be true. As unlikely as it seemed, his 'blessed' white hair might be the one to blame for his recently reoccurring hallucinations! And the other one, the fate simply took a great joy in messing him up over and over again.

Seeing the sign of his guest's 'unfortunate condition' about to come out again, the Einzbern head cleared his throat to draw his attention.

"Lord A- I mean, Father Shirou. Please have a look at that girl who is currently tending to the garden. She is the one we talked about earlier. You may call her Irisviel von Einzbern. As you can see, Einzbern's newest daughter is the latest Justeaze-type homunculus. Thus, it is only natural that she is identical in appearance and to some degree personality with the previous model that was none other than your partner in the Third Holy Grail War."

At the sudden mention of his beloved Master, the former Ruler-class Servant tried not to break down.

"Lumina..." He took a deep breath before his tone changed slightly. "Her name **is** Luminasviel von Einzbern. I would appreciate it if her family remember her always. So please address her properly."

He didn't care that he just gave away the fact that he was actually capable of affection. He never tried to hide it anyway. For the moment, his attention was focused solely at the oblivious homunculus girl. Not that he needed to worry. The old magus was too shocked by the air of warning he unconsciously gave off to question him about it.

"Please pardon me, Lord Amakusa. I should've expected how important she was - I mean, is - to you."

To his dread, he was late to notice that he just addressed the former Servant incorrectly again. Fortunately, the boy decided to give him a break.

"It's all good. Now if you excuse me, I would like to give the fair lady a greeting."

It shouldn't have been a surprise that what Shirou considered as greeting was not less unpredictable than his nature. With a series of perfectly practiced movements, he produced a single Black Key before throwing it forward in less than a second. And in a flash, the blade embedded precisely right in front of said lady's feet. It took her a few seconds to take in what exactly just happened. Then in utter shock, she fell backward with a hysterical cry.

Not even the magus family head could hide his surprise at this absolutely unexpected development. On the other hand, although everyone in the immediate vicinity looked around in panic, their guest's expression didn't change.

"Rest assured, the thought of harming Lady Irisviel never crossed my mind, and it never would." He smiled sheepishly. "Admittedly, my uncivilized way of greeting was rather rude, but it served as a mean to show that the fair lady is not yet ready to take part in the upcoming endeavor."

Right then, he even had the audacity to wave innocently at the girl once she realized that he was the one who just 'attacked' her. She glared at him, and he was honestly taken aback by the unmistakable fire in those lovely eyes. Just when he thought that this cute glare she gave him meant to be her payback, though, something that even he hadn't expected happened. Suddenly, she picked up the Black Key before clumsily throwing it in his general direction with every intention of getting back at him. Unfortunately, it didn't go as intended... not even close.

He could only raise an eyebrow as the lethal blade nearly skewered his poor ally's head instead.

"Well, I would say her throw wasn't that bad if her target was in actuality you. Don't you think so, Jubstacheit-dono?"

As the family's newest member bowed down in shame and quietly excused herself, the shocked head of the family tried to regain his composure.

"... I admit that her ability in combat is rather lacking even for a non combat-type homunculus. What do you propose we should do then, Father Shirou?"

"Let's be patient for a bit more. Give us six months. I would help her become not only an expert magus, but also a formidable combatant in six months."

The former Servant cherished his late Master with everything that he was and more, but he sometimes couldn't help but regret that she had not been a better combatant. He knew he was the one and only to blame for her death, but maybe, just maybe, she could have defended herself at least until he returned if only she could fight better. Now he absolutely hated himself for even letting this blasted thought crossed his mind, but he had to remain objective if he didn't wish to repeat his failures.

It was a good thing that his ally easily agreed with the point he made.

"Very well then. We will prepare a hopefully more than adequate living arrangement for your stay here. In the mean time, please make yourself at home. Now if you please excuse me, I don't wish to prevent you any longer from having a much needed rest after your long journey."

"Thank you. That would be much appreciated."

The two parted ways. The lord of the castle made his return to his study. And the honored guest decided to take a leisure walk around the place. The next six months would prove to be rather uneventful, but they wouldn't mind. Patience was one of their greatest traits.

/

As he woke up in his new fancy quarters early the next day, Shirou immediately forced his mind to figure out the best way to approach his would be partner after their not so friendly meeting the previous day. He knew that for his own good, he needed to make sure he wouldn't end up being too close with her. The only thing required was for them to trust each other, nothing more. That was much easier said than done, though.

Who was he kidding?

Yes, his religion didn't believe in reincarnation, but as an open-minded individual, he only followed the more essential teachings and didn't care that much about anything else.

He dedicated himself in humanity's side, and couldn't care less about their random factions. He wouldn't even hesitate to bring punishment to every human if they threatened their own humanity. On the other hand, he would sincerely treasure any non-human beings if they truly possessed humanity. That was why he had a deep sympathy for homunculi, because more likely than not, they showed the purest form of humanity despite not being exactly human by nature.

He even genuinely believed that homunculi actually possessed souls.

And in Lumina/Iri's case, he would only be fooling himself if he tried to pretend that they were different persons. It had nothing to do with his Revelation or both of his Eye of the Mind skills. Somehow he just knew it. He could feel the connection, the bond between them. But what was he supposed to do? She didn't seem to recognize him at all, much less feel anything between them.

Surely, the fate rejoiced at this very moment, seeing him hopelessly pathetic in this problematic situation.

How did it end up like this anyway?

He was supposed to find the catalyst to summon the Queen of Assyria. And after that, he would begin his path of villain as he waited for the Holy Grail War to eventually come. It was supposed to be that simple, no emotion, only devotion.

One thing for sure, though, he would not stray away from his dark path. Because at the end of this path, he would discover the true light, the light that would bring salvation for that one most important thing in the world. Here once again, he reminded himself that he was only heaven's tool that would eventually be discarded into hell.

There was no future with him, period.

With a newfound determination, he decided that he would threat the girl no differently, because she deserved no less. This time, he would make sure she could find happiness. But at the same time, he would also make sure she would not even think for a second that she could find happiness with him. He would not repeat his mistake.

He would not fail to see the bigger picture ever again.

Looking outside the window, he noticed then that it was still very early, about an hour before dawn, so he prepared to head out. It had been his usual daily routine to wake up early for necessary exercise and practice. He knew he was already abnormally strong, fast, and durable, but he was still determined to at least match his Servant form in this human body. After decades, he had come close, but still not quite there yet.

His efficient lifestyle allowed him to be fully ready in the castle's backyard much quicker than expected. It was still quite dark and the air was too cold, but it didn't bother him one bit. It was even a good thing that there seemed to be no else around this early.

It might be hard to believe, but the former Ruler-class Servant was actually kind of self-conscious about his somewhat odd appearance, what with his unusual coloring and the numerous scars all over his body. As he was about to take off his shirt, though, a distinctively familiar presence interrupted him.

"Keep your shirt on, please. You don't want to pollute the scenery, do you?"

As none other than Irisviel herself took a seat on a nearby bench, he couldn't help but wonder how she learned to be so mean. But he shook off this thought quickly as he offered her a smile.

"Ah, Lady Irisviel. Good morning! I believe I haven't introduced myself properly. My name is Amakusa Shirou, and I apologize about yesterday. Please believe me, I meant you no harm."

Feeling somehow rather awkward now, he stepped back until he was a safe distance away from her. She didn't seem to care though as she kept her gaze on the horizon, waiting for the sun to rise.

"What was that about then?" She gave him a sideways glance. "Were you trying to put me in some sort of test? If so, I would accept your apology."

Her quick thinking and understanding put a fond smile on his face as they reminded him of the same characteristic he so loved from long ago.

"You are correct. I merely wished to see if you were to face the unpredictable and danger."

"That's understandable, but still rude, mind you. I suppose I shouldn't have expected a better treatment, least of all from a stranger. And I shouldn't have been so surprised since I've already been informed about my part in the family's upcoming plan. It is the purpose of my existence after all."

It broke his heart to hear that. Now, he wished nothing more than to show her hope, but he needed to choose his words wisely to not make it appear that he cared about her in particular.

"Please don't say that. Regardless of the nature of your birth, you and the others like yourself are also human beings deserving kindness and respect. Your life is your own. You are free to pursue whatever wishes and dreams you surely have."

His words struck her deep, even more so when she noticed how sincere he was, but she still didn't trust him enough yet.

"Such a bold if not thoughtless claim." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "It is far from easy to stand against fate, especially if you're alone in this world..."

"Then please let me offer you my hand!" His eyes shought hers desperately. "I am here to help you become strong enough to stand against fate on your own. Not that it necessarily mean you have to face everything alone... Someday, you would find the ones willing to treasure you unconditionally and stand by your side no matter what."

And that did it.

He had successully touched her deep enough into her heart. And she finally saw him in a new light, a much better one than before.

"That is... actually appreciated." A ghost of smile graced her lovely face. "Thank you... What should I call you, by the way?"

Now, it took him a moment to ponder about that.

Lord Amakusa? This one still made him sweat-drop.

Father Shirou? Uh... father? NO! Hell no, not from her. No question there.

He needed to find something that still seemed somewhat close, but not too personal.

"... How about sensei? It means teacher in my native language. I think it'd be quite fitting, considering that I'm basically about to become one to you."

For a moment, she tried the word in her mind as she considered how fitting it was address him as her teacher.

"Sounds good to me... sensei? What do you mean about becoming my instructor, though?" She frowned slightly. "I thought when you claimed that you wish to help me become strong, you only meant it metaphorically..."

"Ah, I see you haven't been informed about this. You see, I am not that bad of a fighter, but admittedly, I'm a rather poor protector. So it would put our minds more at ease if you're also fully capable of defending yourself."

That sounded pretty amazing to her personally, to be able to stand up on her own, but still... She was aware of her own limitations.

"Is that really possible for me? I mean, I'm not exactly a combat-type homunculus."

"Yes, because you are human. Humans have the potential to become what they wish to be if they are determined, dedicated, and genuine in their effort."

Another surprising claim form him... She wasn't sure if he was a genuinely kind person or merely an idiot, or perhaps a genuinely kind idiot?

"You are definitely different than I expected, even more so than what I saw in the portrait."

The possibility that she already knew about him before their official meeting put him slightly on guard.

"What did you expect? And what portrait?"

"The big painting in the main hall?" She raised an eyebrow cutely. "The great Amakusa Shirou Tokisada in his fancy samurai attire, with a long ponytail and all..."

"... Oh."

A painting...

Huh? Seriously?

When he read in the letter that the Einzberns held him in high regard, he never ever thought it was actually serious. He still found it hard to believe, though. Seeing his confusion, the girl decided to say more.

"Well, in there _you_ look so regal, passionate, and... handsome." Her face reddened slightly. "Imagine my disappointment the first time I saw you in person then. Just so you know, the sudden weird behavior didn't help either. It was so out of place, not to mention embarrassing."

For the life of him, he could not remember _her_ ever having a natural talent to be this innocently but so bluntly savage...

"Please answer honestly." He looked desperate. "It's the priest attire, isn't it? That must be it. The red coat helps a bit for sure, but a samurai would naturally appear more awe-inspiring than a priest... Or maybe it's the hair? It doesn't look that good now, but more practical. And the new color is a blessing!"

To his surprise, she let out a giggle, a genuine, free, innocent, and rather awkward giggle, one that he just then realized how much he had missed. He was left awestruck, and she beamed at him.

"All you need to know is that in the end, I'm glad I was wrong. I wouldn't have it any other way. I prefer you as you currently are, sensei."

Despite all his efforts to prevent it, she secretly began to develop a deep, genuine, and undivided affection for him and him only. She was aware of it, but as they both watched the sunrise together, she felt kind of insecure. She didn't know if she could ever manage to gather enough courage and confidence to show her feelings, least of all act on them.

/

Within the next few months, the former Ruler-class Servant focused most of his attention on training his Master's cheeky incarnation. But his main task had not been left forgotten.

He interacted with his contacts, mainly from the Order of Templars frequently. The information they had provided so far was invaluable to devise most plausible plans. Recently, he got some copies of classified documents that belonged to Germany military that he now read on the usual bench in the castle's backyard.

With a warm cup coffee as company, he was working in peace, all the while keeping an eye on the girl's training nearby.

All of a sudden, jagged pillars of ice rose up at once from the ground all around her proximity, and he paused in his work to watch appreciatively. It seemed that she finally succeeded in performing this particularly strong spell. In fact, it was of the most advanced level, considering how it acted as a strong defense and dangerous offense at the same time.

After nearly six months, the girl had become quite proficient in both offensive and defensive high-level magecrafts. It was only natural that as a homunculus she possessed a remarkably powerful Magic Circuit that gave her the potential to utilize every kind of magecrafts regardless the level. Additionally, she had also learned well the advanced hand-to-hand combat he thought her in between her main study. This one was by no means an easy process since her body was not designed for combat, but with her remarkable will, she managed to overcome this obstacle.

He was about to come to her and give her a well-deserved praise when he noticed the head of her family approaching.

"Did you see that, Jubstacheit-dono?" He smiled proudly. "We all should be proud of her."

The old magus looked up at the now panting girl in the distance, and surprisingly, a brief but real smile appeared on his stern face.

"I must admit, Father Shirou. I wasn't sure about this at first. However, you once again managed to surprise me. The both of you surprise me greatly. We are truly proud of Irisviel."

"I am glad to hear that. Admittedly, it was still not quite enough to make my concern over her safety disappear, however."

"Is that so? If I may ask, why is that, Father Shirou?"

"You must have been already aware that in recent years, various subspecies of Grail Wars have been held without much consideration. I am not sure how it has come to be this way. But the fact remains that the practice of summoning Servants has become far more common than intended. It is highly possible that we would face hostile Servants as obstacles later. Now I am quite confident that I can take on most Servants one on one without much problem, but in case we face several of them, I'm not sure I would manage without risking Irisviel's life."

Yes, the Einzbern had been aware of that. Somehow after the Greater Grail disappeared, magus communities all over the world had been attempting to create functioning replicas. As expected, none of them had ever come close to success in recreating the original's miracle, but it wasnot that hard to replicate the Servant-summoning function. He knew that very well.

"Then I suggest we summon a powerful Servant of our own. The Einzberns have been in possession of a vast collection of catalysts for various high-class Heroic Spirits from all over the world. If you please, Father Shirou, allow us to show them to you. Hopefully, we would find one that could meet your criteria."

That was practically what the living Heroic Spirit wanted to hear. The Einzbern's services so far had truly exceeded his expectation.

"Servants. We are going to summon two Servants. We have two capable potential Masters after all."

* * *

 **If it's not already obvious, our favorite Servants would finally make their appearance next chapter!**


	3. friends

**I've decided to make Irisviel kind of immature here, considering that in this timeline, it had only been months since her life began.**

 **03**

* * *

 _It was rather unexpected. She had anticipated her new Servant would appear again inside her room to greet her as soon as she woke up just like he did yesterday, but he hadn't showed up so far. It didn't really surprise her, though, because what happened the day before had resulted in complete awkwardness, mostly on his part. Well, the reason was nothing spectacular. She just found it most comfortable sleeping in nothing but her minimalist and fairly see-through nightgown..._

 _She couldn't help feeling concerned though when she still didn't see him after breakfast. And she knew for certain it was not because he was in his spiritual form. But just as she was about to look for him, she spotted him coming her way. He looked different, though, very different._

 _"Why the new looks?" She looked over him with a raised eyebrow. "Did you suddenly decide to become a priest because of what happened yesterday morning? If so, you didn't have to. I wouldn't have minded even if you saw me completely naked, Ruler."_

 _Her poor Servant's face reddened instantly. He tried to brush off his embarrassment then by awkwardly smoothing out his new all-black priest attire._

 _"Please don't say that, Master. It was inappropriate. But the blame lied with me solely. Once again, I apologize." He gave her a quick but deep bow. "It was not the only reason I decided to try to become a priest of the Church, though. I figured this would make me less stand out."_

 _For some reason she couldn't understand, it didn't sit well with her that he considered him seeing her naked inappropriate, but she decided to not think too much about it. Instead, she took a good look at his now much shorter but strangely spiky hair._

 _"And the new hairstyle?" He eyebrow rose up again. "Don't tell me it's also a part of this 'redemption' effort of yours."_

 _"Oh, no. It was just, lately I think having a long hair is inconvenience for battles. And I just happened to learn about scissor! Humanity's progression in knowledge and inventions is simply astounding."_

 _His nervousness suddenly increased tenfold then when the girl moved awfully close to him_ _ _without warning_ to touch his hair. Their bodies ended up so close that her modest breasts nearly made a contact with his chest as she stood up on her tiptoes. She didn't seem to care or even notice this, though. Her attention was mostly on his new hairstyle._

 _"Hmm, I don't mind it, I guess. You look kinda boring now, but at least, this way you don't look prettier than me anymore..." She leaned up, even closer until her lips nearly touched his ear. "A girl is supposed to be the pretty one between a couple, you know."  
_

 _After giving one of the spiky locks a gentle tug, she innocently turned around and left her speechless Servant alone to make sense of what had just happened. This unexpected turn of event had awaken his awareness that despite the exceptional life he had lived through, he was still a teenage boy, and a healthy one at that..._

/

Despite all his disappointment on the human kind's continual downfall, the moral degradation in particular, he had to admit that their progression in knowledge and technology was simply astounding. For the magus society, this of course surrounded more on the advancement of magecraft.

Ever since the recent 'trend' of subspecies Holy Grail Wars started, he had been keeping tab on the rapidly evolving Servant-summoning ritual in particular. Nowadays, it was possible to make Servants become less dependent on their Master or a Greater Grail to sustain their presence. The most advanced, albeit difficult, method even allowed the summoned Servants to directly use the natural mana in the vicinity to survive, even though they would still need their Master as an anchor to this world.

At the same time, the more and more common usage of Servants as weapon had raised a great concern that it would inevitably lead into conflicts and chaos. Fortunately, so far the Mage's Association had been doing well in their effort to contain this threat by strictly regulating the practices. In addition, they had also been actively collecting and safekeeping the catalysts for powerful Heroic Spirits to prevent them from falling in the wrong hands.

He honestly appreciated such efforts, but he was also glad that the Einzberns had a great enough presence and influence to conveniently not been affected. Just as promised, there was really a remarkable collection of catalysts for various high-class Heroic Spirits located in the basement of their castle. It was truly impressive that for some time, he could only stood silently and look over them in amazement.

Feeling ignored, his new partner exasperatedly poked his shoulder.

"Sensei, how come you're more fixated on 'some toys' when a pretty girl is standing next to you?" She pouted slightly. "How childish. How old are you really?"

Feeling kind of bad, he finally turned toward said pretty girl with a sheepish smile.

"Well, I was about seventeen when I died. And it's been around fifty six years since my summoning in the previous war..."

There he no longer ignored her, and answered one of her question even. The response he got was unexpectedly curious, though. For some reason, she hurriedly backed away, putting some distance between them as if he were something that an innocent girl like her should be wary of.

"So... basically... you're an old man... in a teenager body." She looked at him weirdly. "... Is that why your hair is now white?"

It didn't take long for him to understand the reason behind her sudden strange behavior.

"Yes, technically I am quite old, but my left arm's ability allows me to keep my youthful form. My white hair has nothing to do with it. As I said, it is a blessing." Here he couldn't help but inwardly weep in misery. "Listen, I know what you're thinking. For God's sake, I am a priest. So would please stop looking at me like I were some kind of... uh, predator?"

"You can't blame me for that. Don't think I haven't noticed how you look at me when you thought I wouldn't notice. A proper priest would not give an innocent maiden such a sinful look."

Oh well, he could only blame his annoyingly permanent teenage hormones that came with his eternal youth...

"My apologies, my lady. I've made you feel uncomfortable. It was not my intention, believe me. And if it could make you feel better, I assure you that I have never ever touched a woman inappropriately in my whole existence."

Her teasing had gone too far this time, Irisviel realized with a winch. This had become like a habit to her if only to make it seem not so obvious that she had some hidden feelings for him. But now, it honestly broke her heart to see him looking so unfairly remorseful like this.

"It's okay, sensei... Just forget about it, shall we?" She smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, I actually meant to tell you that I have picked a nice catalyst for a Caster-class Servant."

There in her dainty hand was what appeared to be a golden hair ornament. She bit her lip slightly as she showed it to him. And he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her once again sudden chance of behavior before turning his gaze to the item.

"Interesting choice... Do you know that this piece of jewelry came from my homeland? And why do you chose the Heroic Spirit it represents?"

"I think it looks pretty?" It was like the most thing to her. "I like it. I suppose I would get along well with its owner because we seem to have similar taste."

Such a simple and innocent way of thinking was unmistakably one of _her_ distinctive characteristic. It was the exact opposite of his own that sometimes he was afraid he might taint it with his darkness just by being in her presence. For now, though, he allowed himself to just smile fondly at what he saw.

"Very well. I see that you wish not for a Servant, but a friend. And surely she would be a dear friend to you."

He was glad, honestly glad that she could finally have a friend, the first of many. It would be the first step for her to create new bonds with the ones who would treasure her. It would be the beginning of the happy future she so deserved. And hopefully when the time came for them to part ways, she would not even take a second glance at him as he walked away from her new life.

The melancholic look in his eyes didn't escape the girl's actually perceptive eyes. This had happened often enough since she knew him for her to not notice, but she had always been afraid to point it out, least of all ask why. This time was no different. She could only hide her worry behind her cheeky smile and try to distract him with her teasing.

"What's wrong with that? Everyone needs a friend, or else they would end up looking as miserable as a certain priest I know."

"I look that bad huh?" He chuckled lightly. "But you're right, my lady. In fact, it might be best if I follow your example."

Thus instead of deciding which Servant to summon based on which one possessed the most suitable abilities for their purpose in his plan, he tried to find one who might understand him. Besides, it was no secret that a partnership between Master and Servant worked best if they understood each other, even more so if they shared a common goal. Most importantly, though, following the girl's example, for once he simply wished for a friend.

Soon enough, he found in his hand a spearhead, to be exact, the remnant of the spear carried by a legendary hero of Mahabharata in his final battle. The knowledge he had as a Ruler-class gave him the all the necessary insight he needed.

It was an undeniable fact that this particular Heroic Spirit belonged at the very top standing in the Throne of Heroes. No one save for the greatest gods could win against him in a fair fight. In fact, with such an unparalleled combination of power, skills, experience, and wisdom, it wouldn't even be farfetched to consider him as the ultimate hero.

The greatness in strength also reflected on the saga.

An abandoned child who bravely walked a treacherous path, a path where he ended up being viewed as a villain by some, including even his own blood family. It all culminated in the most unfair and tragic ending. However, just as how he lived, he died with no regret, because he never wavered in his chosen path and always stayed true to his self.

How truly inspiring.

Admittedly, Shirou had never considered this option before because he used to think that what he needed was a convenient Servant, not a powerful one. Now, however, he felt himself simply wishing to meet this hero and learn from him.

And the decision was made.

Not knowing the reason behind it, Irisviel gave him a rather unimpressed look for his dull in appearance choice.

"An old rusty thing, just a shadow of its former self, but still somewhat dangerous... maybe... very fitting for you, sensei."

It could very well be mistaken that she was describing her opinion of him...

"Thanks, I guess." He tried to not feel offended. "Don't think that the state of this catalyst represents the Heroic Spirit it, though. I know he would be a great and admirable Lancer."

"You wish to summon a Lancer? I heard they have the worst luck... Then again, very fitting for you, I guess."

Now despite the underlying insult, she had a point, he realized.

"For your information, Amakusa Shirou had a good luck parameter for some strange reason. But his actual luck as you so kindly pointed out it is so bad. He should've been qualified as a Lancer-class too if only he wielded a spear in the past."

"That depends. The unimpressive one I'm currently speaking with? No objection there. The handsome original one? Nope. He's just too dreamy to not be an elite Ruler-class."

"... What kind of logic is that?"

He got no answer, only a cheeky smirk with a shrug.

It seemed that back when she said she preferred him just as he was, she just wanted to have someone to bully. He could tolerate it, but he really didn't like to be compared to his past self. It always annoyed him.

"If you like him that much, why don't you choose him as your Servant then?" He gave her his most fake smile. "It should be possible with my help. And if later you wish to marry him or something, this priest could help you with that too."

"Sensei..." Her fair eyebrow rose up. "Are you jealous?"

There was nothing more absurd than this. He would sooner die than admit that he was indeed somewhat jealous of his stupid past self.

"Of course not. I just couldn't fathom how awkward it would be."

"Don't worry." She smiled at him smugly. "I'm afraid I would be too nervous around him to do anything productive if I have him as a Servant. So maybe it's best if I settle for a Caster."

Feeling that she had teased him more than enough already, the cheeky girl left the room with a satisfied smile on her face. His silly display of jealousy made her feel kind of giddy. She had went too far, she knew that, by comparing him to his past self and making him feel bad. But it was necessary and only fair, she supposed, because something often made her feel jealous too lately.

He never mentioned it, but she had come to know of his late Master and the special feelings he still had for _her_ till this day.

/

Later on that day, the pair walked side by side in silence toward the chapel where they planned to hold the summoning ritual.

The lord of the castle had granted the honored guest a full authority over this. All the technical details of their plan had been left to him while the old magus continued tending to the family matters. And of course this was just as he preferred.

All preparations had been done beforehand, so the pair could immediately proceed with the main task. The boy decided to do it first to give the girl a chance to witness the actual practice before she did it herself. After all, this family's latest Servant-summoning ritual was even more advance than the best method known to public. Not that it proved to be the least bit of problem to him.

He couldn't hide his enthusiasm when a magnificent figure of a Lancer-class Servant appeared before them, and quickly offered a respectful half bow.

"Welcome, brave warrior Karna."

"It is not often that someone calls me as what I actually am." The Servant returned the gesture. "I am honored to meet you, Master."

"Likewise, Lancer. Please just call me Shirou. And the young lady over here is Irisviel."

Somehow, said lady had instinctively come to stand very close to him without the two of them really noticing it. The new Servant found this quite curious.

"I see. Is it safe to assume then that the two of you are a couple?"

The reaction he received was even more curious.

The girl gasped in surprise before quickly pushing the boy away from her, all the while trying to hide her blushing face. With his face also reddened slightly, the poor boy chuckled awkwardly as he maintained his balance.

"How could you be mistaken, Lancer? A mere priest like me could never hope to be a match for a breathtaking maiden such as her."

More and more curious.

The Servant could clearly tell that there was a mutual romantic affection between the two youths, an exceptionally strong one in fact. Thus he wondered why they behaved so strangely. Perhaps it was how adolescents of this era preferred to pursue a relationship? He felt the need to voice his opinion on this.

"Back in my time, if a man and a woman became interested in each other, they didn't hold back. And soon after, one or two progeny would be born."

Now he had done it. Things couldn't be more awkward than this.

The unfortunate 'couple' couldn't look bring themselves to look at each other now. The girl just scowled at the wall with her face still fully flushed. The boy, fortunately enough, had anticipated his new Servant's rather poor communication skill.

"Well..." He tried to smile despite the embarrassment. "That is an interesting information, Lancer. We are glad to have you!"

He then awkwardly glanced at the girl, helplessly trying to tell her that it was her turn. To his relief, she got the message before he even needed to say anything. With a similar awkwardness, she quietly moved to her designated spot to perform the ritual.

Surprisingly enough, she succeeded on her first try. But the still present embarrassment made her not even smile smugly like usual as she stepped back again. So when the Caster-class Servant finally appeared, the strange woman's eyes instantly caught a certain pale handsome man instead of her...

"Ooh, I've never seen such a handsome man! You must be my Master." She grinned widely. "Oh, I'm so lucky! I think I just fell in love. Please let me be more than just a Servant to you, my handsome Master!"

What she got in response was a horribly unimpressed look from the man.

"I suppose this one's intelligence is somewhat lacking." He shook his head in disbelief. "Judging by my appearance alone, isn't it obvious already that I can't possibly be her Master?"

"W- What? Have I done something wrong, Master?" She looked at him desperately. "Please, give me a chance... I'll do anything for you!"

What a stupid misunderstanding.

It was almost painful to watch. And it would only get worse for sure if it was left to Lancer. Knowing this, his Master quickly decided to intervene.

"Uh, Tamamo no Mae, right?" He paused until he got her attention. "I am Shirou, and the lovely young lady over there is Irisviel. She is your actual Master."

Turning to where he pointed at, the female Servant found the lady in question and could only blink awkwardly at her flushed face. It only served to make the girl who already felt kind of betrayed because of the misunderstanding finally snapped.

"Forget it." She huffed angrily. "I'm sorry I'm not handsome enough for you, Caster."

Then without another word, she left the place.

Now being left with two unusual Servants who were basically polar-opposites to each other, Shirou couldn't help but wonder what he had done wrong. Could this be what happened when he made decisions mostly based on emotions? Seriously, it appeared like he just formed the worst possible team for a mission of great importance. It didn't help that there was now a growing tension adding to the still present awkwardness.

Perhaps they should save further introductions and pleasantries for later.

"Alright." He sighed tiredly. "The two of you deserve to know the reason behind your summoning. It's not exactly for a Holy Grail War, but our objective here is still the Grail itself. The artifact has been missing since the end of the previous war, and now it is our responsibility to recover it."

"There's no objection from me, Shirou." Lancer gave a look of understanding. "In fact, that sounds even more interesting and challenging than a normal war."

"I'm glad to hear that, Lancer. Hopefully you wouldn't be disappointed." He turned his attention to the other Servant then. "And what about you, Caster? We would understand if you wish to call off the contract after what happened..."

It was honestly thoughtful of him to offer her a chance to reconsider, Caster admitted that silently. But at the moment, her mind was surprisingly enough occupied with the thought of a certain angry young lady.

"I..." She looked toward the door worriedly. "I wish to talk to her. She seems like a nice girl. I hope we could still be friends... Iris and I."

"That is good to hear." The boy smiled in pleasant surprise. "She is a sweet girl, caring and understanding."

"But... is it okay if I go to her now?"

"Of course. And please, make yourself at home, both of you. We have several days until we depart. Hopefully, we'd be better acquainted in the meantime."

Not wanting to waste any more time to see her real Master again, Caster left hurriedly. Lancer and his Master on the other hand, decided to stay for a while longer to further discuss about the plan and all the preparation that needed to be done.

/

Admittedly, Tamamo had barely any experience dealing with younger girls in all her existence. It was just not her specialty to be the 'adult' among her peers. There was also the fact that as far as she knew, she much preferred boys than girls. It gave her a bad tendency of instinctively seeing other females as rivals. However, if her new Master was as sweet as what the boring boy from earlier said, maybe she didn't have to worry too much about it.

Currently, she should be more worried about getting lost anyway.

The castle was way too huge for her, not to mention confusing. She was not familiar with the layout of western buildings, least of all one of this size. It was getting late, but even after searching outside the castle, she still couldn't find her Master. Just as she thought about giving up for the day, it finally crossed her mind that she could just ask someone instead of running around mindlessly.

She hurriedly did just that then.

And soon later, thanks to a kind maid's help, she finally found her Master standing alone in the main hall. Stopping for a moment to look, she realized that the pretty girl was gazing longingly at some painting on the wall. It was a life-size painting of a teenage boy with a long ponytail to her pleasant surprise.

"Ooh, what a cute boy!" She moved closer quickly to take a better look. "Oh, oh, he seemed to be from my homeland too, judging from his clothing! But I don't know him... Who is he? Your lover?"

Surprised and somewhat annoyed, the girl stubbornly kept her eyes on the painting as she responded begrudgingly.

"I wish."

"Oh... What's his name, though?"

"Amakusa Shirou."

"Shirou? Hmm, I've heard that name recently... Oh! That boring boy's name is also Shirou!" She gasped suddenly then. "Wait... No way! They couldn't be the same person, could they?! I mean, the one in the painting here looks so dreamy..."

Then the Servant was once again pleasantly surprised, and relieved, because her master suddenly let out a cute giggle.

"It's hard to believe, isn't it?" The girl finally smiled. "He obviously has changed a lot, maybe even more than in appearance. But sensei is supposedly really look like this in the past."

"Huh? Sensei?"

"Well, he's been kind of my teacher. And to be honest, I don't like it that much. Don't get me wrong. I'm really grateful to him for teaching me so many things, but I couldn't stand how he treats me like a child sometimes." Her frustration was apparent here. "I just..."

That sounded like a confession, the Servant understood easily enough.

"You want him to see you as a woman. I get it." She smiled knowingly. "You like him, don't you?"

"Very much so... More than I could even comprehend, really."

"Well, we've only interacted briefly so far, but it seems so obvious to me already that he cares a lot about you too."

The girl didn't respond immediately. It seemed that she was troubled as she kept looking at the painting quietly before letting out a sad sigh.

"He cares about everyone. That's just the way he is. Really, I wouldn't be surprised if that is the sole reason he's being nice to me, not because I actually mean something to him."

"Hey, how could you think like that? You two have known each other for a while, right? Have been living together too, I'm sure."

"That is true... I'm just being insecure again, I guess."

She chuckled weakly, but then to her surprise, her Servant suddenly enveloped her in a warm embrace. She was simply stunned. No one had ever done such a thing to her. She had never imagined that it could feel this comforting. But she still didn't feel so sure.

"W- What is this, Caster? I've been nothing but rude to you. I don't deserve this..."

"Nonsense! I get it now. I get why that boring boy seems so fond of you." The Servant sniffled slightly. "I'm sorry. Since the start, I already got the feeling that you might be my Master, but I stupidly ignore it."

"Well, I was also in the wrong here. My petty entitlement has caused an unnecessary drama. I selfishly expected you to just acknowledge me and become my friend just because I am your Master. But now I realize that it was not the right way to gain a friend."

This was just too much for Caster.

"You just wanted us to be friends?" Her eyes widened as looked at the quickly blushing pretty face. "Awww, you're just too adorable! I can't believe I chose that pale jerk over you!"

With that, she hugged her Master tighter, rubbing her cheek against her head all the while in adoration. It elicited a hearty chuckle from the girl, but a frown suddenly appeared on her face as she remembered something.

"Why the name calling, though? You seemed to be completely smitten with Lancer earlier."

"It's the truth. He's a real jerk!" The Servant looked angry but then deflated suddenly. "Though it's also true that I was instantly smitten by his looks... maybe still am? I just couldn't help it, you know. I mean, it must be against the law of nature itself that a man could be that gorgeous. Too bad his personality alone makes him even more unappealing than your Shirou. No offense, Iris."

"None taken."

"I still wonder why you like him so, though."

Curiously, the girl's eyes returned to the large painting again.

"Well, it all started with this painting. I know it might sound silly, but ever since the first time I laid my eyes on it, I feel this strange connection. The feeling only intensifies after meeting the real person, like there's some kind of resonance between our... fates?" She bit her lip slightly. "Does it even make sense?"

That was a bit too much to take for the not that smart Servant's mind, because in her opinion, romance is supposed to be simple and of course romantic.

"A resonance... of fates, huh?" Her brow furrowed a bit. "Oh, I know! You mean the two of you are soulmates?"

If only it was that simple, that they were simply destined for each other like in fairy tales, Irisviel would be the happiest girl ever.

"Uh, that sound too cheesy if you put it that way. I guess what I'm trying to say is all that happen to us personally might significantly affect each other's fates. It's just hard to explain. You see, I even feel responsible for his changes somehow, but that's just ridiculous. He has lived far longer than I."

"Don't think too much about it, girl. If you really love him, you just need to make him love you back. It's that simple. And you know what?" Caster grinned widely. "Your Servant is here to help you! We're friends now, aren't we?"

She couldn't have said it better.

The girl was left speechless, and could only hug her new friend back. It ended up much better than she could've even imagined. She couldn't believe it. She really had found a friend now, a wonderful friend with fluffy ears and tails.

/

The evening before the group's departure the next day, the leader spent a lone time in the garage.

Yes, that was right, a garage.

Since his stay with the Einzberns started six months ago, he had the castle installed with every necessities to help with his task, mainly modern communication technologies. At one point, he had also decided to get a car in preparation for the upcoming long journey. There had never been a good enough reason for him to have one for personal use in the past. But once he deemed it necessary, he immediately bought one of his favorite models with his own savings.

Yes, he obviously liked cars.

He had always liked them even before he learned to drive from his foster father back when they still met more frequently. Though those late afternoons they spent together driving the old grey Corolla on the empty mountain roads were what had made him truly appreciate them.

The now shiny red metallic body of his still relatively new super saloon was a good proof to that.

He stood proudly after he finished cleaning the car to prepare it for their journey early the next morning. His eyes glued to its clean and smooth as brand new form. Despite this, however, he didn't fail to notice his Servant's sudden presence. And he smiled knowingly when he saw the usually stoic man's curious expression as he turned toward him.

"It's only natural for you to be interested in cars, Lancer. You are actually qualified as a Rider-class too after all."

"This is indeed inevitable." The Servant's gaze focused on the red car. "What is it called, Shirou?"

At the question, the boy couldn't help smiling proudly.

"This is the new BMW E28 M5, one of the fastest road-going car ever."

"Interesting... How much power does it have?"

"Approximately, 286 horsepower."

Surprisingly enough, the answer made Lancer's eyes widen. In no way it was easy to surprise him, but that simple fact about the car had managed to do such a feat somehow.

"Most impressive. To think that this man-made vehicle holds the equivalent power of 286 horses..."

"I know, right? This car has a relatively benign appearance, but inside, it possess all the potential to put even ones of higher classes to shame.".

"A good representation of the owner then."

It was an innocent statement perhaps, but in result, the smiling boy stiffened slightly.

"... Can I take it as a compliment, Lancer?"

"Be my guest, but it was merely an observation." Here, the Servant finally turned his gaze to his Master. "I have no intention to keep anything from you, Master. I will answer if you feel the need to question me."

To be fair, there was no trace of antagonism.

The boy could only blame it on his own over suspicious habit. For so long, it had been necessary for him to live on full guard. So it was only natural for him to be extra careful around someone who had the ability to see through excuses and deceptions like this particular Heroic Spirit. It might be the time to stop, though. He needed to learn to trust again, and his noble Servant definitely more than deserved his trust.

"It's all good." He smiled easily again. "If you may, though, I wish to hear more of your observation, Lancer."

"Very well then. From your presence alone, you resemble a Heroic Spirit more than a human. And despite your bright persona, there is a deep darkness within you. You have been keeping it in a tight leash so far, but it still influences your judgement to some extents."

Spot on.

It was just not his thing to open up to others, but here with this noble and honest hero, Shirou decided to make an exception.

"Your Discernment of the Poor skill is truly impressive." He chuckled mirthlessly. "This person you're talking with is an incarnated Ruler-class Servant from the previous war. Tragedies of the past had fueled me with enough hatred to make me even qualify as an Avenger-class. I have forsaken my hatred filled heart, but the darkness has already taken roots within my soul. Nevertheless, I will not let the evils within prevent me from achieving something good."

Sensing his Master's honesty, Lancer nodded softly in appreciation.

"For me who's incapable of hatred, light and darkness, good and evil, such things admittedly do not hold that much relevance. I would not use them to judge you, Shirou. In fact, I commend you for your constitution and effort to stay true to your belief despite everything."

"I envy you though, Lancer. To be naturally free of hatred... I can't even fathom how wonderful that might be. I truly admire how without it you can always carry yourself with earnestness and pride."

Those words really took the hero by surprise. People usually envied and praised him for his powers and feats. He had never expected that his one trait that he himself personally considered as a flaw could ever be found admirable. This made him further interested about his enigmatic Master.

"And what is preventing you from doing the same?"

"Well, anxiety, insecurity, guilt... common flaws of humans. Just like most people, I don't want others to see mine."

"You're not being completely honest. The only one you don't want to see your darkness is none other than Lady Irisviel."

Spot on, again.

There was no point in denying it. Besides, it was clear that a real trust had started to grow strongly between them. And to his own surprise, Shirou found that he didn't mind about it.

"That is true." He sighed lightly. "But not because I'm afraid she would hate me... Despite all my efforts to prevent it, she has become too close to me, again. To see how broken I actually am would be too much for her. And I don't want that to happen. I don't want to disappoint her. I don't want her to feel betrayed. I don't want her to be sad..."

"That is understandable, but pardon me, Master. That is not for you to decide. The young lady has the right to make her own decision. You should trust her more. I don't see her as someone who would betray her heart to avoid the risk of being hurt."

"You are right... It's just... I refuse to fail her. Not again."

The unmistakably soft look on his Master's conflicted face made Lancer pause. It was full of love. He personally couldn't say for certain that he had ever really experienced love, but he could tell when someone else was in love.

"That's only natural, Shirou." A ghost of smile crossed his features. "You value her greatly."

"More than anything..." The boy sighed again. "To be honest, I can even see myself giving up my lifelong ambition, the one thing that has kept going for so long, the sole reason of my existence, without a second thought for her sake."

At the unexpected admission, Lancer took a moment to observe his Master further. And he soon caught a glimpse of the boy's unimaginable potential hidden deep within his soul. It was questionable whether it would ever be unleashed or not. Regardless, the result might affect the world as a whole, so it would still be wise to put it into consideration, even more so when it all surprisingly laid on the palm of one girl.

"Then her choices would decide whether you end up as a savior or a harbinger of the end. It would be inevitable." He felt the need to give some sort of warning. "She is the author of your destiny, Shirou."

* * *

 **About the advancement of Servant-summoning methods here, it is for plot reason. In this AU, I want to portray that it had been made possible to utilize Servants as weapon in general, not only limited as a component of Grail Wars.**


	4. speeding!

**This is it. The time for the journey to finally begin along with** ** **the first arc of this very long story**!**

 **04**

* * *

 _The war would begin soon._

 _Daunting darkness surrounded the castle in that early morning, still. It was only broken occasionally by the few artificial light sources around the vicinity. Though the fragile lights they provided were barely enough to illuminate the gentle snowfall that had accompanied them throughout the night._

 _As it appeared_ _ _surprisingly enough,_ a pair of figures chose to embrace the shadow as they moved around the place silently. In the lead, walking with purposeful steps, was a fair girl clad in a warm winter clothing. Following protectively behind her was a boy around her age, wearing all black priest attire. Unlike her though, he seemed to be rather uncertain about this whole thing._

 _"Um, Lumina-chan?" He smiled sheepishly at the girl. "Maybe we should reconsider this?"_

 _"Now you begin to annoy me, Ruler. Please quit calling me with such a cringe-worthy pet name."_

 _What a shame. He really thought it suited her perfectly._

 _"Why, though? It sounds cute in my opinion. A very fitting name for you." He thought for a second. "You know what? You can call me by name too if you wish. I'd be happy in fact if you do that."_

 _It took the girl a moment too process what he was saying._

 _First of all, she believed he just indirectly said that she was cute. Did that mean he liked her? It was highly possible, considering how kind and caring he had been to her ever since they knew each other. They had become so close without her even realizing it, in fact. She seriously doubted the other Masters and Servants had this kind of relationship she had with her Ruler. Also, he just asked her to call him by his real name..._

 _"You mean..._ _ _" She blushed cutely. "_ S- Shirou? No! I mean, maybe later, once we don't have to take part in the war any longer. And, uh... Just keep moving!"_

 _He couldn't help feeling rather disappointed by that, but he knew it was not the time to pursue this matter._

 _"Understood." He glanced at the surrounding darkness then. "Still, I think it would be wise to at least tell Jubstacheit-dono first before we do something this rash..."_

 _Immediately, he was rewarded with her trademark glare. It wasn't intimidating, not even the least bit. On the contrary, if he dared to be honest, it was the cutest thing he had ever seen. But why did he felt utterly powerless each time he was on the receiving end of this sorry attempt of intimidation?_

 _Noticing that her glare only made her Servant smile dreamily, the girl huffed cutely._

 _"There's no need. It's just between the two of us, remember? Besides, no one dare to question me anymore now that I have you."_

 _"Um, pardon me, my Master, but I think that's a bit immature of you to -"_

 _Enough._

 _She treasured him greatly, more than anything. The only thing mattered to her was being with him always. But she just could not tolerate this kind of impudence. She absolutely hated it when he treated her like a child._

 _"Whose side are you on, Ruler? You are mine, are you not?"_

 _With that, she hastened her steps, not caring about being discreet anymore. Her Servant worriedly kept up with her. She only stopped when they finally arrived at what appeared to be a garage. And since she already stopped caring, she didn't hesitate to switch on all the nearby lights._

 _It was indeed a garage._

 _In there, four units of mechanical vehicles they called cars were at the ready. But the white one, the one that seemed to be the most modern of the bunch, was the one that piqued the Servant's interest the most as he slowly approached it._

 _"What is this, Lumina-chan?"_

 _For once, the girl pushed aside her irritation of being called with that name, if only because she was so pleased to see his completely awed look._

 _"That is a BMW. And we're going to go to the war with it."_

 _She sounded so sure about that. T_ _ _he boy_ quickly turned around_ _ _in surprise_ to face her. And there in her hand, to his alarm, he saw what he presumed to be the car's key. He understood well enough that she was just in the rebellious phase of her youth, but he still didn't think it was a good idea._

 _"Please hold on, my Master. Have you ever ridden a car before?"_

 _"Twice. As a passenger."_

 _It was a bad idea then._

 _He had a bad feeling about it. For a moment, he tried to think of a way to persuade the girl. Unfortunately, he took too long, and before he even knew it, he found her already seated behind the wheel._

 _"Get in, Ruler!" She waved excitedly. "You don't want to miss it!"_

 _"C- Coming!"_

 _If only he gave it a second thought..._

 _It all went horribly unsurprisingly enough. Honestly, with all the mad speeding, it was a miracle that they didn't get themselves killed before the war even started._

/

So quiet.

The serene atmosphere in the castle's main hall went undisturbed. Alone with only the precious painting as company, Irisviel always treasured such a peaceful occasion. Even more so now that she was about to leave with no guarantee to ever return. To be honest, she didn't mind it that much, but she was sure she would miss this painting so.

Not a day had gone by without her taking the time to admire it.

She still clearly remembered the first time she stumbled upon it. It was only a day after her awakening. She barely had any sense of self back then. In fact, she more resembled a doll than a living being. The only indication that she was truly alive was her constantly moving feet that took her all around her new home on their own. Until they finally guided her to a large portrait of a boy...

She was jolted instantly.

It was like her capability to feel emotions was finally triggered. And for unknown reason, she felt a strange pulling toward the painting, or more specifically, the figure she found in there. The only thing for certain was that she liked this particular feelings, this unique connection.

She was mesmerized.

What happened next was the arousal of her female nature. Strangely, it made her quite nervous. She felt her face getting warmer the longer she stared at the handsome face in the picture. And the hair, it took her a real effort to keep her hands from reaching out to touch the glass surface in a futile attempt to feel how the beautiful black tresses felt like with her fingers.

She was inspired then.

When she was about to turn away in desperation, but stopped as her gaze found those brilliant golden orbs. She could clearly see the indomitable fire within them. The heat, the intensity, somehow managed to radiate throughout her body. And she was filled with a strong desire to live.

At last... she felt truly alive.

She smiled fondly in recollection as she caressed the painting so gently. It might sound silly still, but she genuinely believed that she owed it her life. This thought made tears slowly brimmed in her eyes. And she pressed her cheek on the smooth surface before any could fall.

This was so emotional to her.

She knew she was already expected to meet the others in the front yard, but she just couldn't help it. Nonetheless, it was not a surprise then that a certain someone showed up to look for her.

A white eyebrow rose up in bewilderment at the sight of her intimate moment with a... painting.

It had come to Shirou's notice that she had never forgotten to spend time with it every day, but to see what she was actually doing dumbfounded him. He decided to take a better look at it then after having never bothered with it before.

Surprisingly, it was good.

He had to admit that it was a really well done portrait of the 'original' Amakusa Shirou Tokisada. Though he had no idea that he used to look that good in the past. The long ponytail, the regal attire, the gleaming katana... everything about him made a perfect harmony with the ethereal snowy background there. He could only guess what short of magecraft the Einzberns had used to make it, but he had to give them credit for this masterpiece. Still, in the end it was nothing but an object. A mere portrait wasn't supposed to be worshiped, much less one of a pathetic figure like him.

"Now, my lady." He finally made his presence known. "Is there a point in frequently spending some 'quality time' with a painting of someone you see everyday?"

Surprised, the girl stiffened a bit before slowly turning to face him.

"I don't see the problem. I was merely doing what I love doing."

She was mistaken if she thought he was blind. He could already see since the start that she harbored an unnatural infatuation that perhaps could be called a crush toward the fool in the painting. He had just never expected that this could possibly be too deep to be considered healthy. And now he felt the need to voice his concern.

"Admittedly, _he_ looks great there, better than in reality perhaps. I can see why you're infatuated with him. However, have you considered for a moment that in actuality, you harbor feelings for an over the top portrayal of someone you usually make fun of in daily basis? Those feelings would lead you nowhere."

Now she felt rather offended that he thought she was stupid enough to have a crush on a painting. Yes, she treasured it greatly, but not in the outrageous way he seemed to believe. What she really could not tolerate, however, was his inconsiderate attempt to undermine her feelings.

"I'm aware that it would lead to nowhere, but does it matter?" Her eyes narrowed. "I know what I feel is true. Is it so wrong for a girl to keep her feelings?"

"Listen here, Irisviel. Your vision of Amakusa Shirou is flawed." He pointed at the painting. "There's nothing more worthless than _him_. Again and again, he got blinded by his noble and heroic delusions, until it was too late for him to realize that everyone who believed in him had to be the ones to suffer all the consequences of his failures. He deserves nothing good in this world, least of all your precious feelings."

That was really shocking to her. She always knew that he didn't think so highly of himself. But it had never crossed her mind that it was much worse that in actuality, there was nothing in this world that he despised more than his own self. With this realization, she longed to comfort him, but at the same time, she also couldn't help being angry at him for his mean words.

"How dare you? _He_ means so much to me. He gave me confidence and desire to live. I don't know what would've become of me if I've never found him..."

"That's just his specialty." He chuckled mirthlessly. "The fool acted like a beacon of light that drew lost souls to him until he led them to despair in the end. Trust me, no one knows _him_ better than I do. He is the worst, period."

The unexpected condescension really struck her nerves. She couldn't stand his meanness any longer. But more than that, she couldn't bear seeing him keep hating himself like this.

"It should be easy for you to answer this then." Her eyes narrowed even more. "Do you consider yourself better than _him_ now?"

It didn't escape her notice how he winced slightly.

"No, I -" He couldn't meet her eyes. "I didn't mean to... I'm just..." _trying to protect you_...

That was enough, she realized suddenly. She had gone too far. She couldn't believe how inconsiderate she was. It really hurt to see him looking so broken like this. She needed to do something quick, but what? The only thing she was good at was teasing him...

"You're just what?" She smiled smugly all of a sudden. "Jealous?"

It worked.

His golden eyes began to light up again as he gave her a smile that although small and uncertain, showed how relieved and grateful he was. It truly amazed him how understanding and tactful she could be even after his pathetic lapse of control earlier. Sadly, this also made him feel even more worthless compared to her. He really didn't deserve her, not ever. But for the time being, perhaps it was okay to entertain her a bit.

"Please, my lady... For a priest like me, jealousy is simply a sin. If I found even a shred of jealousy within me, I would get rid of it immediately, not that I had any right to be jealous to begin with."

"Oh, don't be too hard on yourself, sensei." Her smile turned kind of cheeky now. "I mean, if I found the boy I like is more interested in a picture of me than the actual me, I would've burned with jealousy too."

"He deserved to burn in hell then for making Lady Irisviel jealous. What an ungrateful fool."

"Now that's just mean. Do you want such a fate to happen to you, sensei?"

That was not what expected to hear. He had a suspicion of the underlying meaning behind her cheeky inquiry, but it was best to not think to much about it.

"Oh well, hell has been expecting my presence for a while now." He shrugged easily. "It has to wait a bit longer, though. We still have a quest to complete, remember? It's time to go, my lady."

"Give me a second." She turned to look fondly at the painting for the last time. "Thank you for everything... Good bye... _Shirou._ "

The reaction she got from him was priceless.

His eyes widened for a second innocently. After all, he had been waiting so long, too long, to hear his name being uttered with that lovely voice. But as soon as he realized that he was actually not the one being addressed here, his eyebrow twitched in serious annoyance at her dreamily watching the painting.

"Did you -" He took a deep breath. "Did you just call it _Shirou_?"

"I certainly did..." Her own eyebrow rose up innocently. "What? Are you now jealous, _sensei_?"

What a huge blow to his pride...

He found himself lost for words. In the end, he turned around somewhat hurriedly to get away from the blasted painting as soon as possible. And skipping happily after him was the one and only girl who could make him lost his composure so easily.

/

Gentle rays of sunrise shone through the top of the snow covered trees, adding a wonderful glow upon her already uniquely colored hair. The luscious pink tresses danced gracefully with the breeze as she stood serenely. And with the gradual thinning of the ethereal morning mist, her lithe figure slowly came into clear view. She was indeed a sight to behold...

At least, that was what she'd like to think.

How could she not?!

There was a gorgeous man standing not that far before her with his eyes glued on her oh so lovely figure for what felt like hours! It was just too much! She needed to say something before she lost her innocent mind!

"La- Lancer no baka! It's not fair! You can't just stare at an innocent maiden so intensely like that for so long without saying anything!"

Up until this outburst, the two Servants had been standing in a strange kind of silence in the the castle's courtyard, waiting for their Masters to show up. After the very early breakfast that morning, Lancer's Master had asked them to wait there since he needed to have some last minute words with the lord of the castle. Caster's Master on the other hand, only said that she wished to say some goodbye before they depart. Time passed by slowly, and both Servants still waited patiently, at least until this little incident.

It was all actually because the fox lady's curiously reddening face.

Her companion here had noticed it quickly enough with concern. He knew it was highly unlikely for a Servant to get sick, but he couldn't be so sure, considering their unusual summoning. As a comrade, he felt a real sense of responsibility over her wellbeing. And the least he could do here was watch over her. That was why his gaze had not wander from her flushed face so far. He couldn't understand why she reacted like this, though...

Nevertheless, he owed her an explanation.

"I admit that I thought we are incompatible at the start. And we have barely seen each other since then. However, we are in this together, Caster. I've come to realize that. I should value you more. That's why I can't keep my eyes off you after seeing you like this, not when it's just the two of us here."

Well... After hearing that, could anyone blame her for taking it completely the wrong way?

"W- What are you saying now, L- Lancer? It's a bit too soon, don't you think? It's not that I don't want to... If anything, I'm the one who -" She shook her head frantically. "Oh, this is just too sudden! You ought to say what you think about me first before we get into something serious!"

Likewise, Lancer too had no idea what she was saying, though he still felt compelled to answer the best he could.

"As you wish then." He shrugged lightly. "You are overly dramatic for a Servant. That alone would be enough to consider you unreliable. Still, I commend you for wearing a more practical clothing than usual. Your face still looks flushed, but you would have surely suffered a worse cold if you wore your usual poor excuse of clothing in this weather."

Ouch.

The female Servant was left awfully dumbstruck. She didn't know if she should be embarrassed, disappointed, or maybe... touched by his pathetic attempt to show some concern? Before she knew it, though, she found herself furiously making a large snowball before throwing it with all her might at his pretty face!

... And the poor thing was surprisingly vaporized in a blink of an eye for a reason she couldn't comprehend. It only fueled her anger, though. She tried again... and again... and again! But it was all for naught, she realized as she hopelessly dropped her arms.

"Just... how?"

"My Mana Burst shows that I am blessed by a flame god." He shrugged. "I can be simply too hot for you to handle."

Yeah, he sure was _hot_ indeed.

After what happened, Caster would never admit it out loud, but she did think this man looked really hot, even more so now with his new casual outfit. In fact, he kind of looked like a rock star what with the _METALLICA_ black leather jacket he proudly wore.

Damn her luck.

She was the one who had insisted that they both be allowed to always remain materialized unless the situation required them otherwise. It might sound silly, but she just didn't want to waste this 'second chance in life'. There were so many things she wished to experience. And to her delight, their Masters had easily agreed with that, in the condition that they had to wear normal clothing to make them less stand out.

That was just perfect to her, right?

Well, she wasn't so sure anymore, she thought with a winch as she looked down to see her slim body being almost fully covered by a baggy trench-coat.

"Gee, now that I think about it, I wonder why I still gotta wear this ugly thing. I can handle this much cold just fine."

She knew that it was necessary to hide her tails, but still... Oh well, at least the red beanie she wore to cover her ears looked kinda cute. She chuckled pitifully at the thought. Unfortunately, her companion didn't catch the hint, seeing how he somehow felt the need to response to her pitiful rambling.

"Because you are a fox woman?" As usual, he didn't hold back. "As you can surely see, your tails are oversized. One would've been acceptable even just barely, but three would prove to be troublesome for sure. We can't possibly pass them off as accessories. So it's only logical to hide them under the coat."

Ouch. Again.

That hurt. That hurt more than she liked to admit. She finally understood why this man was considered as a legendary Lancer. So far, without even trying, his words alone managed to pierce her heart and tear it to shreds. She just couldn't understand why he seemed to despise her so. Was it only because of the silly misunderstanding she did in their first meeting? It was embarrassing alright, but why couldn't he just get over it?

Tears began to gather in her eyes as she turned away dejectedly. She wouldn't let him see her cry. The last thing she needed was to be looked down by him even more. But it was still too much. She could only shut her eyes and hold her body tightly.

This pitiful display took her fellow Servant by surprise.

He just had never expected this short of reaction from a Servant. He really couldn't understand this woman, he admitted. Somehow even his Discernment of the Poor skill worked poorly on her. He thought he had already figured her out, but it seemed like there was still so much depth in her character beyond what he could decipher with his signature skill.

He was not so dense, though. He knew he had hurt her somehow regardless his intention. And as a man of honor, he had to always take responsibility for his wrongdoings. Thankfully, he had seen so much in life to be ready for every situation, including this peculiar one.

One step, two steps, three steps.

And before he could take the fourth one, he found himself already standing close enough behind her. There was no turning back, not that he was the type of man for such things. He always gave his all once he had come to a decision, and this time was no different. There was no sign of hesitation as he wrapped his strong arms securely around her lithe form with every intention to comfort her.

The woman almost jumped in surprise.

What was happening? What was he doing?! Had he forgotten already what he had done to her?

She couldn't forget how he made fun of her appearance after playing with her feelings, making her look like a hopeless fool. She could even still remember how he insulted her intelligence the first time he spoke to her. This cruel Lancer was supposed to loath her whole being, she had been convinced of that.

But now what was she supposed to do about this?

Of course, to protect her honor, she had to push him away and accuse him of sexual harassment!

Unfortunately to her shock, she found herself so powerless all of a sudden. It was as if she was an innocent maiden all over again somehow. How strange. She knew she had much more intimate experiences than this with a man in her past. But for some reason, this simple embrace elicited a surge of foreign feelings that threatened to overwhelm her whole being. She would surely lose her mind sooner or later!

Fortunately, or maybe not so much, their Masters took that time to show up at last. The pair was left dumbstruck by what they found here. The innocent girl in particular, felt uncomfortable as her reddening cheeks puffed slightly.

"If you two want to get intimate, do it in private, please!"

Hearing that, her Servant hurriedly broke free from the warm confines of the strong male arms with a hysterical shriek. A scandalized look appeared on her face immediately as she desperately moved away.

"There's nothing to see here! It never happened, okay?! Don't take it the wrong way!" Her finger pointed accusingly at the male Servant then. "This man - he - he tried to make a move on me without my consent!"

Their Masters looked at Lancer in disbelief, but he just shrugged like usual.

"My apologies, Caster, if my action made you assume such a thing. It was not my intention. Rest assured, I'm not interested in you at all."

For some reason, the female looked genuinely dejected by that. Her Master could only gave her a sympathetic look. But before things got even more awkward, the other Master deemed that they had already more than enough drama this early morning alone to last them a day or even a week.

"Alright everyone." The boy gave out his usual smile. "It seems like we are ready to begin our journey. Let's get going then."

To not waste any more time, he took the lead, but then stopped suddenly after only a few steps toward the garage. There was something missing, he thought as he searched his pockets, something very important. Seeing this, the girl behind him gave him an all too innocent look.

"Huh? What's wrong, sensei? Do you forget something maybe? Do you think I can help you with it maybe?"

Of course.

"There is no time to play around, my lady." He turned around with a sigh. "Please return it to me, and you are free to choose one of the passenger seats."

"Sensei, if you're so impatient, you can simply let me sit behind the wheel."

Hell no.

He would not trust the fate of his sleek and shiny M5 to this girl. He had given her some driving lessons around the courtyard if only after her insistent begging. But as he had understandably feared, he had to call it quit before long and swore that he would not take such a risk anymore if he could help it.

One question still nagged him ever since.

Why oh why out of the distinctive traits _she_ had in the past, she had to keep _that one_ in particular?!

/

The absolutely unnecessary delay of their departure had gone almost two hours, and Shirou could still only guess how his car key ended up in Irisviel's hands. He'd like to think that it was the case of her progress had exceeded his expectation again. Though perhaps his tendency to let his guard down around her was partly to blame here. He knew it was the reason his car had only one key left.

Sitting silently with Lancer on a bench, his contemplating gaze once again found the girl who had been innocently engrossed in some girls talk with Caster on the opposite bench.

It was pointless to try to take it back by force. She most likely hid it in some place he would never dare get close to, most likely her breast pocket. He could try to persuade again, but it would only give him a headache for sure. But perhaps it would work if he also offered her some kind of deal...

A dangerous game for sure.

With a desperate sigh, he finally stood up to approach the cheeky girl. The smug smile she readily gave him as her Servent sheepishly excused herself pretty much showed that it was going just as she wanted.

"Just give me a yes, sensei. You know how much I love driving."

"You mean speeding madly?" His eyebrow twitched slightly. "Absolutely no. But if you stop being stubborn, you can have one request from me, anything, except for letting you drive, of course."

That didn't sound so bad to her, not at all.

"Sure, but if you still refuse for some reason, you have to let me drive."

"... Fine."

He gave her a moment to think then.

It might seem kind of absurd, but to be honest, her desire to finally drive his oh so fast M5 on real streets still outweighed anything Irisviel could think of at the moment. Because of that, she seriously considered asking for something that her prude sensei wouldn't possibly agree on, like a kiss perhaps. Just as she was about to ask just that, though, a very interesting idea came to her mind and made her smile smugly again.

"Dye your hair black."

In return, he gave her an awfully unimpressed look despite his surprise.

"You just want to satisfy your 'ideal Amakusa Shirou' fantasy, don't you?"

Her smile dropped slowly.

She honestly felt offended that he thought she could be that shallow. The request might have seemed like the silliest thing she could've come out with, but there was actually a good reason behind it. She hoped that with it, he would learn to accept his past self. Not that she would bother to explain it to him now after hearing such a demeaning response.

"Say what you want." She huffed. "You wouldn't understand."

"Can you just ask for something else?"

"A kiss."

"A what?!" His heart nearly stopped. "Stop playing around!"

"Oh?" Her smug smile returned quickly. "Does that mean I can drive your amazing M5 on the street for real now?"

Reluctantly, a defeated nod was given.

As he hopelessly watched the girl dragged the Servants excitedly to the garage, he really hoped he wouldn't regret it so much. A few paint scratches here and there would be a fair sacrifice he, he supposed, and maybe a bump, but please no more than that. Getting increasingly worried, he followed them quickly then before something he'd regret could really happened.

Thankfully, everyone seemed to behave in the garage. Though Caster in particular seemed to be overly eager to jump into the car.

"Ooh, what a nice car! I love her already. Her shiny red body is so sexy! What's her name?"

"Thank you, Caster." The owner smiled proudly. "It is a BMW M5."

For some reason, the Servant gave him a dirty look for that. Shaking her head in disapproval, she then turned toward her Master with a curiously serious face.

"Don't ever let him name your future children, Iris! Imagine. It would be tragic if you have a beautiful baby boy, but then he names him Amakusa M6!"

In an instant, the pair of Masters were blushing hard at once. The boy just had no idea how it came to this and what to say to such stupidity. The girl, however, she looked like she was ready to chew her Servant's head off.

"W- What do you mean, Caster?! Why would my future children have anything to do with him?!" Oh, she knew the answer perfectly well, alright, but this was just too much for her. "There would be no Amakusa M6! Never!"

"Oh, you're playing clueless now?" The Servant rolled her eyes. "Gee, you kids are hopeless."

In this awkward moment, her fellow Servant who had been silent this whole time surprisingly enough seemed to take this matter into serious consideration, and decided to voice his opinion.

"Young Master Amakusa M6..." He hummed in some kind of approval. "A worthy name for someone who would inherit the father's formidable legacy."

It all fell silent.

For quite some time, the others could only look at the powerful hero in bewilderment, completely dumbstruck. But Caster, who still hadn't got over her earlier heartache, quickly shook her head before turning her attention back to the car again.

"Anyway, girl." She grinned widely. "From now on, we'll call you Akane!"

And the whole awkwardness was quickly gone with that.

Now, they were all finally ready this most anticipated journey. Everyone was looking forward to it. But of course, no one was more excited at the moment than the would be driver herself.

"Let's get in, everyone!" The girl eagerly got into the driver seat and waved excitedly. "You don't want to miss it!"

"Yay!" Her Servant jumped happily. "I'll sit at the front with Iris!"

And there was a defeated sigh.

The car owner had to accept the inevitable as he weakly took the seat behind the driver. At least this way, hopefully he'd be close enough to interfere if push come to shove. He felt a bit better, however, when his Servant's presence settled on the last available spot to his right, giving him some sort of reassurance.

Soon, the show started with the furious roar of the 3.5 liter M Power engine!

Caster cheered in excitement.

Not even five seconds after they exited the Einzbern compound, though, there was nothing left of those abundance of excitement. Now in their place, were her terrified shrieks. She even nearly passed out when the car slid wildly through a sharp corner. Her shrill cry of terror echoed all around the mountains range, scaring off all the forest inhabitants. It only got worse and worse until even the ever calm Lancer couldn't tolerate it any longer.

"Caster, can you tone your voice down? It's quite concerning."

"That's what you're concerned about?! Really?! What about the fact that we could die any seconds now, huh?!"

"I won't let anything happen to Shirou and his Lady Irisviel."

"What about ME?!"

She glared hard at him through the rear view mirror. But it seemed to have no effect on him as he met her glare with a bored expression.

"You are a Servant. It is only expected for you to protect your Master at all cost." He shrugged. "You should not need to be saved."

The nerve of him!

Oh she really wanted to bite him! She knew she would if only she wasn't too terrified to move, but for the moment, she could only use her mouth to scream.

"I hate you, Lancer! I'll bite you! You hear me?! I'll bite you! I hate you! I'll -" Another sharp corner. "KYAAA! Please hang on, Akane!"

There was the loud and now familiar sound screeching of tires before the car's left rear fender hit the guardrail hard. That was the fourth time it happened, and the worst so far. And once again, it made the owner sighed weakly.

"Hopefully a new fender wouldn't be too expensive..."

Feeling so tired already despite the day having barely started, he closed his eyes and prayed that it would be over soon. Surprisingly enough, it seemed like his prayer was answered for once, almost immediately in fact, though not in a way that he preferred. Less than a minute after his eyes closed, his treasured M5 in the end crashed into a bunch of small trees.

Sometimes later, the one responsible for the accident stood innocently, watching the car owner repairing the damage as best as he could with his Servant's assistance. Her own Servant stood beside her with a look of relief, though the woman couldn't help staring sadly at the car.

"Poor Akane... She looks kinda ugly now." She gave her Master a disappointed look then. "Really, who taught you to drive, Iris?"

"Sensei, of course... But I know it was all my fault. I never listened to him."

The girl looked down in shame.

She hadn't dared to look her sensei in the face since she left the driver seat earlier, least of all talk to him. He had been trying to not be angry at her, she could tell that, but his frustration was apparent enough. Now and again, she thought to apologize, but always ended up too afraid to. She couldn't bear to see the disappointment in his eyes.

She said no more words until the repair finished soon later.

The damage was not that bad, and with a bit of magecraft, they could patch it easily enough.

The owner smiled in satisfaction as he returned to his seat. His Servant had thoughtfully offered to drive after seeing his tired look, and he gratefully agreed, trusting the hero's qualification as a Rider-class. And once they were ready, he closed his eyes again peacefully, not even giving the girl who just switched places with his Servant a glance.

The tension in the back seats was simply maddening, Caster thought with a winch. It didn't help that she could barely stand the one now seated next to her.

"Please tell me you can drive, Lancer!"

"I used to 'drive' a chariot in battles."

"... That's it?!" She almost cried. "I swear if you put us in danger, I will really hurt you!"

"I am invulnerable."

"But the rest of us are not, you dummy!"

* * *

 **As it appears here, Tamamo started with three tails already instead of just one like normal because I don't want her to be too weak. Let's just say that the Einzbern's summoning ritual has become way too good in this AU.**


	5. date

**I don't live in Germany, thus I try to be vague about the locations here.**

 **05**

* * *

For a country famous for their automotive engineering, it was no surprise that more than plenty of cars could be found almost anywhere. And in the case of this particular town, the buzzing sounds of petrol engines dominated the calmness of the late afternoon air. Fortunately, the drivers there were mostly tolerant and respectful. But of course, just like anywhere else, there were always few exceptions.

Without warning, a yellow Porsche 911 recklessly tried to overtake a van through the inside of a corner just as the big car was about to make a turn. The van driver had no choice but to change course at the last second to avoid collision. Unfortunately, this decision put the van in the direct path of an approaching red saloon from the opposite direction.

A crash would be inevitable. No human being had sharp enough reflex to avoid it.

Then a miracle happened as suddenly the red BMW seemed to disappear, and the next thing the van driver knew, the quickly shrinking form of the saloon could be seen from the side view mirror.

No one could believe what just happened, not even the passengers of the red BMW M5. It was as if the driver had already predicted everything from miles away. His maneuver was so seamless that it didn't even disturb the calm flow he had maintained since he took the wheel. Surely, no one would believe that it was the first time he had ever driven a car.

The woman seated to his left slowly closed her gaping mouth after crying that they were about to die just a moment ago.

"Where do you want me to kiss you, Lancer?" She turned toward him with a grin. "Really, I could kiss you anywhere you want right now! I'm sure even Akane would give you a kiss if she could!"

Such a response was truly unexpected to him, enough to make him give her rosy lips a side glance in contemplation.

"Admittedly, my personal experience with kisses is limited. Though my enemies often begged to kiss my feet after I crushed them..." He then took a brief glance at his feet with a frown. "Pardon me, Caster, but as you can see, my feet are occupied at the moment."

The female Servant could only gape in disbelief at that. Never had she felt this humiliated. Even worse, she had never felt this undesirable. Ever.

Sitting in the back, their Masters concernedly exchanged a look for the first time in a while. It wast still kind of awkward, but they had to bear it for the moment. Something needed to be done quickly to make the pair of Servants forget about this silly misunderstanding. Eventually, they had a silent agreement to shed aside their own dispute for the time being and work together.

"Oh, look!" The girl pointed outside the window. "That nice little restaurant around the corner! I'd love to have a lunch there. What about you, Caster, Lancer?"

It didn't escape the boy's notice that she conveniently forgot to ask his opinion, but he just let it slide to give her a support.

"That's a good idea, actually. There are a few matters that you ladies need to hear. It'll be good to talk about this over a nice lunch."

It was decided then.

The car pulled over, and after it was parked nicely, the group made their way toward the small family restaurant in silence. The cozy atmosphere inside the old building was so calming. Not even Caster could stay angry for long in this place. They picked a rather private table in a corner, and soon later, a pretty waitress greeted them warmly to get their orders.

Unfortunately, things became kind of awkward again after that.

The Servants both noticed how unusual it was that their Masters didn't sit next to each other when they clearly had the chance. The two had wordlessly taken seats next to their respective Servants this time. There was also the worrying lack of the familiar intimate banter that in a sense could be considered as flirting between them. And it remained this way even after their orders arrived.

The four of them just ate in silence then. Lancer didn't mind it. Caster on the other hand, absolutely couldn't stand it!

"For heaven's sake, what's the deal with you two? Why don't you just make up already? Come on, have a kiss -"

She stopped short as she flinched. It backfired, she pitifully realized. The word kiss was still a sore subject to her after earlier incident. It might be best for her to just keep quite too.

And the silence continued until they finished their meals.

As the same waitress from earlier returned to take the dishes, Shirou asked nicely for the bill and payed it at once. And of course, he didn't forget to give her a generous tips. He was so polite and nice, with such a heart-melting smile on his handsome face that made the pretty teenager blush madly and leave with a giddy smile on her face.

The females of the group couldn't believe what they just witnessed.

Who knew that the boring priest they knew so well could be so charming... And that smile, he had never showed that kind of smile to anyone else before. It suspiciously looked like a smile specially used to charm ladies.

Irisviel didn't like this, not in the littlest bit, as she felt her whole body burning with fury. It didn't help at all to see her oblivious sensei just returned his attention to their table with his usual innocently fake smile in place.

"Now, let's talk about the matter I mentioned earlier, shall we?" His eyes settled at the two females sitting quietly next to each other. "Lancer and I have already discussed this matter, but it's better if you two are also well informed about it. Is there any question before I begin?"

Of course, Caster took this chance to chew him out.

"I still can't believe you can be not so boring for once." She pointed an accusing finger at him. "But how dared you do it as you talked to that bitch, in front of Iris no less, you good for nothing unfaithful -"

Surprisingly enough, she was stopped by her Master squeezing her arm gently.

"Stay on topic, Caster. Save personal matters for later."

The girl looked outside the window with a strangely emotionless gaze. Her Servant could only give her a sympathetic look before deciding to look outside as well. Both of them said no more words after that.

The other Master and Servant exchanged a confused look for a moment before the Master decided to continue with a slight shake of his head.

"Alright. In this quest, we first start with the possibility that the missing Grail had still been in the government's possession even after the end of Nazis era. We need to approach this carefully. -"

"- It would not be wise to openly oppose them, especially now with the presence of their newly formed Special Mages Division in their military. This unit consists of not only the nation's most talented magus. They in actuality also have Servants in their rank. Two in particular are exceptionally powerful Rider-class and Saber-class Servants that might rival our Lancer in strength. -"

"- With that in consideration, it might seem it would be in our best interest to work as discreetly as possible. However, there's a good chance that more and more leads would show up if it goes to public that there is a group actively searching for the original Grail. That doesn't mean we could let our guard down. But for the time being, there's no need to change how we operate. We will keep on traveling normally by car. -"

"- Our first destination is a hidden vault where the Nazis stored their plundered magical artifacts during World War II. It was said to be somewhere within a forest a good distance away from here. No one knows its exact location anymore. Thankfully, with Lady Irisviel's ability, we would be able to confirm if the Grail is really there without having to locate the vault."

He paused for a bit to look at said lady's emotionless features. He knew that she as well as her Servant had actually been paying attention despite their bored and nonchalant acts. It deserved some appreciation.

"I suppose that's enough for now. Thank you for listening." He smiled warmly. "If none of you need a bit more rest, I suggest we continue our journey."

He was nice enough to give them options here.

Caster, however, decided to take it as a chance to be a pain in the ass. Her eyes quickly left the nice scenery of a park across the street. She smirked wickedly with every intention to get back at the stupid boy for hurting her Master.

"Well, having a lunch break with boring guys like you two could hardly be called rest. Isn't that right, Iris?" She turned toward the girl with hopeful eyes. "Let's check out that park, just the two of us. If we're lucky, we might run across some cute guys there! Surely none of them could be as boring as these two!"

Without a second thought, she tried to drag the reluctant girl away. Until all of a sudden, the other Servant stood up.

"As far as I know, a state of inaction is considered as rest." He stared at her pointedly. "Can you see that I take the role as driver so you could have plenty of that in the car?"

"Gee, how considerate of you, Lancer!" She was ready to protest, but then stopped abruptly at his hardening stare. "N- Never mind."

Not that she would ever admit it, but she honestly felt intimidated by the man at that moment. His blue eyes demanded a complete obedience from her. It was easy to forget how dangerous he actually was. She had learned a bit of his real identity and background, but it was the first time she really saw him as the actual warlord he originally was in his past.

No more problem occurred as they quickly finished up and took their leave.

There was only a little incident when the still moody Irisviel shoved her stupid sensei to the street as he happily exchanged some parting waves with the pretty waitress. The poor boy would've been hit by a truck if not for his excellence reflex. To their Servants' amusement, though, they just acted like nothing happened as they returned to the car and sat next to each other again in the back.

And the journey continued as if they had not taken a break at all. None of them looked to be feeling any better, saved for the driver perhaps, because as it seemed, only a miracle could chance how he felt regardless the situation.

/

Less traveled places like this one outskirt of a forest really had their own beauty. Probably the lack of human presence left their pure nature undisturbed and freely exposed. But perhaps, it was simply the beautiful sunset that made this particular place looked better than it really was. It didn't really matter though. Such a beautiful calmness should be appreciated regardless, because it would not last forever.

Sure enough, a melodious roar broke the silence as Akane's red form appeared from the distance before stopping slowly. Her engine died down then, and Caster was the first to get out, looking in wonderment at the scenery.

"Ooh, what a beautiful place." She sighed dreamily. "It would've been a romantic place for a date..." She sighed again, this time, pitifully. "Why am I so unlucky? The only guys I know are so boring beyond believe. One is dull and totally off limits, and the other one is no better than a furniture!"

One particular word caught Lancer's attention, but surprisingly not one used to described him. A rather curious look could be seen on his eyes as he turned toward the pair of Masters.

"Could any of you explain about this date thing and the point of having one?"

As it seemed, none of them knew enough about the subject to provide an answer, but someone still got to do it, so the girl gave the boy a quick slap on the back, forcing him to speak up.

"W- Well, I'm honestly just as clueless as you on this matter, Lancer." He hesitated slightly. "If it could be called as date though... before the third war started, my Master often dragged me to sneak out of the castle with her and explore the city. We did have real fun, I guess, going to -"

Another slap, even harder this time, made him stumble forward a bit.

Obviously, Irisviel didn't appreciate him daring to bring up about _her_ in her presence. But she quickly shook off the unpleasant thought before giving the curious Servant an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Lancer. I don't think either of us could give you a good enough explanation. Maybe you should ask Caster instead?"

Right on time.

Said woman had just had enough listening to these inexperienced people's talk. With her chin raised haughty, she pointed accusingly at Lancer.

"What kind of loser had never gone on a date at your age, huh? Listen here from the expert -" Oh crap. "Uh, never mind. You wouldn't understand anyway!"

That was close.

She almost forgot that all she knew about dating was only from the information provided to her during her summoning. In actuality, she had never had a date herself, not even once in her past life. If they knew about this, she would have to say goodbye to her reputation for sure.

In the meantime, however, Lancer's sharp mind had started to think of a possible usage for this curious date thing.

"Tell me, Caster... By going on a date, is it possible for a couple to solve their quarrel?"

"Eh?" She gulped in surprise. "I - I mean, it sure is! They would be so lovey-dovey after going on a date, and get married soon later!"

The woman began to sweat profusely, silently praying that these 'novices' were too inexperienced to question whatever nonsense she came up with. Sadly for her, both Masters already appeared doubtful. But surprisingly enough, her fellow Servant, known for being able to see through lies and deceits, didn't appear to be suspicious at all.

As absurd as it was, Lancer took her words seriously.

"Then it is decided. This is for the best." He looked at the 'couple' again. "Shirou, you and Lady Irisviel will proceed with the task by yourselves. It would be a purposeful date. The both of you are expected to have already solved your quarrel by the time you return. The rest of us will stand by at this location."

Everyone was left speechless be that. It seemed like Lancer had decided to take charge. At the moment, he appeared just like a commanding officer addressing his rookie subordinates. The air of authority he displayed was unquestionable.

After a minute of uneasy silence, though, Caster found the situation to be absolutely ridiculous.

"You can't be serious! A date in the middle of a wild forest at dark? What kind of shitty idea is that?!" She paused a bit with a scowl. "Never mind. You would only give me a stupid answer anyway. Still, are you not worried about them? You're the one who said that it's our responsibility to protect our Masters!"

"Special occasions require some exceptions to the rule. Furthermore, I know for certain that my Master is not to be underestimated, even in my standard. He is stronger than you, Caster. That much is obvious."

"Hey!" She looked very offended. "You never run out of things to insult me with, do you?!"

In return, Lancer looked taken aback slightly. He could not remember ever having any intention to insult her. As always, he only stated facts. It wasn't worth it, however, to let this woman's tendency to misunderstand bother him.

"And your Master is such a formidable young lady." He decided to just continue his speech. "My own Master would never stand a chance against her."

The statement made the lady in question smile proudly, still didn't mean she agreed with the ludicrously questionable plan, though.

"I hate to disagree with you, Lancer." Here, she gave the boy beside her a cold side glare. "But for the time being, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to refrain myself from harming your Master if I have to spend some alone time with him."

That sounded quite alarming to the Master in question...

Thinking logically, though, it might be worth the risk. He agreed with his Servant that such a personal problem really needed to be solved as soon as possible before it could compromise their task. With that in mind, a decision was made.

He silently stepped forward to crouch down in front of the moody girl, his back to her.

"Please get on, my lady. It's getting dark. We would be able to cover grounds faster this way and save a lot of time." He then hesitantly added. "Rest assured, I would not touch you inappropriately. I promise."

The immediate response he got for such an unexpected move was the quickly reddening face of the girl.

It was not that she didn't see the point of his words, because did. At the moment, she was just too surprised and couldn't believe that he could be this bold. The Amakusa Shirou she knew was an awkward not to mention prude boy who avoided physical contacts with the opposite gender at near all cost. Seriously, she couldn't even remember ever brushing hands with him despite having been with him practically always for months.

In panic, she glanced at her Servant, but the woman only gave her a thumbs up with a mischievous grin. Her face warmed up even more at this as she began to consider her options. Refusing would only make her appear so immature. Besides, she really wasn't sure she wanted to pass up a possibly once in a lifetime opportunity like this.

She always dreamed of touching him, of pressing her body to his...

Shaking her head, she schooled her embarrassing thought before taking a step forward nervously. Then before she could have a second thought, she hurriedly hopped on his back, arms wrapped tightly around his neck. And right then, for the first time ever, she appreciated his 'blessed' hair for being useful to hide her blushing face if nothing else.

At once, Caster squealed in excitement.

"Have fun, you two! Remember, don't return home too late - Oh who am I kidding? Scratch that! Feel free to return the next morning! Then you got to tell me all the juicy details, Iris oh you naughty girl!"

A fair eyebrow twitched in irritation.

As much as she treasured her Servant, Irisviel just couldn't stand her at times like this. Thankfully for her, after making sure she was fully secured, her sensei as swift as the wind dashed into the forest.

The Servants were left alone, well, there was Akane too, but still...

Shifting uncomfortably, Caster now couldn't help hoping that the kids would return soon as she remembered how awkward it was to be alone with Lancer.

/

Night could really make things appear so different. The forest that in the daylight appeared so serene, once the night came would turn into a proper setting for a nightmare. Even the faint light of the moon somehow instead of providing a sense of comfort, only highlighted the haunting atmosphere, making the eerie mist that swallowed the cold landscape even more visible.

It had been close to four hours since those changes took place.

Fortunately for the unlucky pair who had been on a 'date' in such an unlikely place, it was about time to return. With the boy's exceptional speed and the girl's extensive sensory ability, they had effectively covered all grounds. It was still quite a shame, though, that they didn't get the desired result.

The Grail had not been hidden in this forest.

That was not that much of a surprise. None of them expected it would be that easy. Still, there was slight disappointment as they made their way back.

Dashing agilely through the trees, the boy in a priest attire appeared like a blur, but still carefully maintained his steady movement to not cause the girl on his back much discomfort. To her amazement, though, he didn't look out of breath at all, sweaty sure, but not winded. She had to admire his stamina.

There was other thing Irisviel couldn't help but admire, though...

She was a healthy young woman. That alone should explain the intense heat coursing through her whole body that had been growing since she hopped on her sensei's back hours ago. Being this close to him, being able to feel the contours of his hard and chiseled body, threatened to drive her insane. She had always expected that he was more than fit enough physically, but she had not been prepared to find that his concealing attire hid such a 'dangerous weapon'.

This frustrating predicament was so problematic that she didn't realize how labored her breathing had become. Unfortunately, it didn't escape his noticed.

"It's kind of ironic, isn't it, my lady?" He chuckled slightly. "I've been running around all over this forest for hours practically nonstop, but somehow, you're the one who seems to be out of breath."

"Sh- Shut up! You don't understand my problem." She huffed a bit to hide her embarrassment. "Caster was right. No one in their right mind would go into a wild forest at night for their first date, n- not that I consider this a date, mind you!"

Unsurprisingly enough, the sad excuse for a date in hope to solve their quarrel had not been going so well. Up to this point, they had barely exchanged words, contrary to how easy they normally interacted with each other. But perhaps, it was time to take this matter more seriously.

"Well, if everything were to happen as planned, we would've already finished by sundown." He hesitated slightly. "Alas, there had to be some delays because someone decided to be unnecessarily difficult."

That stung, and she couldn't but wince. She knew she had not made any apology, but couldn't he see how regretful she was already? This thought made her scowl in indignation.

"Are you blaming me now?"

"Not necessarily, but wouldn't it be quite disappointing if someone of your stature refused to take a blame, my lady?"

That stung harder, and she couldn't but wince again, knowing her fear had come true. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Put me down."

Her dainty arms left his neck, and the lost of her warmth took him by surprise.

"What?"

"Put me down."

"It's not the time to be difficult again."

"I said put me down, you brute!"

With that, she hit his broad shoulders again and again.

This was just too much.

It might not seem like it, but he was really tired. He had felt tired since the day started, and her childish behavior was responsible to it. Even then, he had still tried his best to please her... But now he had had enough.

Consumed by frustration, he dropped her carelessly without warning. And he regretted it instantly as he heard her bottom hit the hard ground roughly. Then she moaned slightly in pain... He cursed himself inwardly as he turned around in worry.

"I'm sorry..." His right hand reached out to her. "Are you alright, my lady?"

"Don't touch me!" She slapped it away with a glare. "And stop calling me lady if this is how you treat me."

Standing up on her own, she hurriedly backed away from him. At the moment, she saw him as a threat, he realized. It frustrated him even more.

"God, I don't remember _her_ being this difficult..."

"Who's _her_? Your stupid Master?" She had never felt this angry. "She's long dead, isn't she? How dare you compare me to a nameless dead woman!"

It happened so fast.

Before she could even blink, he suddenly appeared before her with the hand that reached out to her earlier raised dangerously, ready to meet her face. But it stopped abruptly as a lone tear running down her cheek snapped him out of his blind fury. A horrified look appeared on his already sad face.

He hated himself more than ever now.

Irisviel didn't understand why he stopped. She knew she wouldn't if she were in his place, because she deserved it. She had crossed the line. She had insulted the memory of someone most dear to him... the Master he clearly loved. There was no excuse. As much as she envied and disliked this unknown girl, she had no right to think badly of her.

A miserable silence had settled with none of them able to prevent it. They were to ashamed of themselves to even look up. This lasted for what felt like hours until all of a sudden the air changed.

Shirou felt sixth senses on high alert. His hand rose up again impulsively, but this time to protect the girl before him from an arrow that came without warning. It struck his forearm. The pain didn't even register to him, however, as he focused on scrutinizing their surroundings right away.

Perhaps they had been too absorbed in their fight that they failed to notice this approaching threat before it was too late.

Large hordes of what appeared to be walking skeletons with rusty but still dangerous old weapons. They were still a good distance away, but as they came from every direction, they would surely surround the pair anytime soon.

He cursed his luck.

Not only his fighting style was not suited against large number of foes, his main arsenal, the Black Keys, would prove to be noneffective against things without flesh for sure. There was also the fact that his dominant arm had been impaired already. At the very least, the other one was far from useless. He could hold a sword with his left hand almost as well as he did with his right one.

One thing for certain, though, he would not call his Servant for assistance to deal with these mindless grunts. He still had his pride. Besides, he was not alone, he thought as he turned away from his companion. He knew their personal problem had only gotten worse, but this was not the time to dwell on it.

"Irisviel, prepare for battle." He looked as calm as ever. "We will guard each other's back. Let them come to us. Winning is not our priority. Once we reduce their numbers enough to create an opening, we will make our escape."

"Understood." She schooled her own expression, but still couldn't help but glance concernedly at him. "... What about your arm?"

He brushed off her concern as he focused on forming a translucent dome-like Bounded Field around where they stood.

"Do not leave this field. The barrier reflects projectiles. We would be safe from range attacks as long as we stay within it."

With that, they stood back to back. The girl reinforced her arms and vital points quickly with a spell before settling into a combat stance. Behind her, even with his left hand, the boy drew his longsword effortlessly.

And it began.

Arrows, followed by many more arrows, came from all directions. But none of them reached their targets. The barrier proved to be exceptionally effective in deflecting each one of those projectiles back.

It was only the beginning, though.

The first wave of the hordes finally arrived. With a surprising speed, the ones carrying melee weapons stormed toward the pair. But they were stopped in their tracks by jagged spikes of ice bursting forth suddenly from the ground. Most of the skeletons caught by the dangerous spell fell apart completely, only to be trampled down by the ones that came after them.

One in particular that appeared to be some sort of leader, judging by the armor it wore, charged forward with a large greatsword raised high, ready to brutally slice its target. Almost effortlessly, however, the broad blade was parried by a sword before a forceful kick sent the armored skeleton flying. It crashed hard against its followers, and they all shattered upon impact.

Shirou took the moment to check on Irisviel.

Even though it was her first real battle, the dainty girl was doing well. She looked to be a bit drained after using the spell for those ice spikes, but it was not nearly enough to affect her effectiveness in combat. The first skeleton that attacked her crumbled to the ground after her elbow crushed its neck. She had to bend backward then to avoid an axe swing. Almost immediately, she grabbed its arm, and threw it hard to the ground until it shattered.

It seemed that they would have no problem.

As the battle went on, however, the girl noticed blood trailing down from the the boy's injured arm. She chanced a glance at him from time to time in worry. His movement, as minimal as possible it was, had only intensified the bleeding. She knew such an injury was nothing to him, but blood loss combined with fatigue could be dangerous. It really scared her, enough to make her decide on something reckless if it meant to get them out of here as soon as possible.

She had no time for these relatively weak enemies to come to them, so without a second thought, she rushed forward. Her sensei's warning call went ignored as she left the Bounded Field. And once she reached a particularly large group skeletons, she gracefully swirled in place to conjure a powerful wind spell that blew them in all directions.

This boosted her confidence further.

Unfortunately, as she was about to continue her rampage, she failed to notice that one of those armored skeletons survived the blast of winds. It charged at her from behind as soon as it got up, ready to cleave her down with a heavy battleaxe. She turned around, but it was too late. Her eyes closed in fear as the horrid weapon descended upon her.

A heavy clang of steel hitting the ground accompanied the sound of scattering bones.

Her scared maroon eyes opened again to see what happened. What she found was the love of her life standing there before her with an unusually frantic look on his handsome face. Another arrow had embedded on his left shoulder. She was sure it wasn't there the last time she checked on him.

If only she knew the desperate struggle he had taken to reach her in time. The battleaxe-wielding skeleton was just a small fry that he crushed in a second. But none of those mattered to him as he quickly sheathed his sword.

It was their chance.

As much as he disliked it, she had created a good enough opening for their escape with her recklessness. It had to be now, though. Not wasting any more time, he scooped her up without warning into his arms before heading off. Her cry of surprise went unanswered.

Once she was tired from her indignant struggles, she decided to speak.

"Your permission to touch me has expired if you don't remember." She pouted. "What a brute."

"If you don't shut up, I would have no choice but to touch your pouting lips too."

For some reason, his rude words made her blush. Perhaps it was best to be quiet. Besides, being carried bridal style like this by him had only ever happened in her dreams. She might as well enjoy it even though it was not the time or place for it. With this thought, she instinctively snuggled her face close to his neck, allowing her to inhale on his sweaty skin.

It was the most addictive scent in the world to her...

/

The powerful beats of _Master of Puppets_ by _METALLICA_ coming from Akane's radio filled the crisp air with energy. It was such a great song, even Caster got to admit that. Oh, how much she wished she could just let loose and jump around mindlessly with the beat. Too bad for her, each time she tried to move, she always involuntarily stopped as she caught the deadpan look of the most boring guy she had ever known.

She just didn't get it.

He was the one who turned on the radio in the first place soon after the kids left. He was also the one who chose this particular station that seemed to only play heavy metal musics. But strangely enough, it was hard to tell if he actually listened to it or not. He just stood there vigilantly the whole time, leaning slightly on Akane's front right fender.

In a sense, she was glad that although it was doubtfully his intention, he had saved her from having to endure a boring awkward silence by turning on the radio. Still, she honestly wished they could have a bit of talk. Perhaps she could give it a shot now that the song ended. She would most likely ended up with another heartache as usual, but she wanted it.

Turning off the radio, she got out of the car and turned to him with mischievous smirk.

"Hmm... a talented driver... a heavy metal fan too... You're trying to appear as some kinda macho guy, huh, Lancer?"

"I never try to appear as anything. You see me as what you call as macho guy on your own volition, Caster." He paused suddenly then like he just realized something. "I see... Perhaps you should be more direct if you wish to give a compliment."

Oh, she regretted it already.

"Fine! You're the most macho guy in the world! Happy now?" She stuck out her tongue. "Baka... Bakarna!"

"Ba... Karna?" He lifted an eyebrow. "You give me a nickname too? What a surprise. Just this morning, you explicitly expressed your hatred toward me."

It was hopeless.

She could only screamed in frustration. But somehow after that... she felt invigorated. How strange.

Perhaps she could give it another shot. As she looked back at him, however, she found his eyes focused on the direction the kids had gone to earlier. Curious, she joined him in staring at the dark forest. And soon enough, she saw something that made her squeal.

"Ooh! Look at those two love birds! The way he carries her in his arms... Aww! Iris is so lucky! We should expect a wedding invitation soon, Lancer!"

Unbeknownst to her, Lancer's attention was focused on something else entirely. He made eye contact with his Master for a brief second, and in that instant, they came to an understanding. His right hand rose up to form a ring with his thumb and forefinger around his right eye. Then as soon as the boy dashed away from the path, he unleashed his Noble Phantasm.

"O' Brahma, Cover the Earth."

With a dramatic twisting motion of his hand, a reddish beam shot forth from his blue orb. It was so powerful that the landscape behind the pair of Masters got completely obliterated in a huge explosion. After that, there was nothing left of those troublesome skeleton hordes that had been pursuing them.

If only she knew how stupidly her jaw had dropped, Caster would've died in embarrassment. At the moment though, she was just too shocked and horrified by what she just witnessed to care about her looks.

"What the hell were you thinking, Bakarna?!" She glared at him in complete disbelief. "The kids could've been killed by that! What are you anyway? A weapon of mass destruction or something?!"

"Pretty much. I thank you for the compliment, Caster." He shrugged easily. "I however, would never do anything that would risk our Masters' lives. "

True to his words, both of their Masters were not the least bit harmed by his incredibly destructive attack. The two Servants couldn't hide their relief as the boy, still with the girl in his arms, walked up to them with a reassuring smile.

"Please don't be too hard on Lancer, Caster. He did it with my permission. He actually saved us from some mob of angry skeletons chasing us."

Right then, he stiffened slightly as the blushing girl in his arms poked his chest in feign discomfort.

"Put me down now, please. They would get the wrong idea."

"As you wish, my -" His voice lowered then as he suddenly remembered. "I mean, Miss Irisviel."

Well, if none of the Servants had felt suspicious before, they certainly did then. As it seemed, the 'date' had not been going so well...

* * *

 **Since the information about what sort of combat spells that can be created with magecraft is rather limited, I decided to make up some flashy moves on my own here. This is an AU anyway, haha**


	6. acts

**Warning: this chapter is full of awkward moments.**

 **06**

* * *

Who would've thought that being inside an elevator could be this suffocating?

Certainly, not this oh so amazing Caster.

She had been so excited to use an elevator for the first time. That was until she found herself trapped inside this metal box with a pair of moody and probably horny kids who seemed to be in some kind of cold war with each other. The presence of a certain Lancer that could obliterate her with a barrage of insults if she just opened her mouth only made it worse.

It was almost midnight...

This terrible awkwardness had not lessened since they left the forest. Their ride to this hotel had been filled with the most tense silence they had all day. It led to a very late dinner stupidly in two separate tables, one for each pair of Master and Servant. There, Caster had tried to make some light talk with her Master, but it was obvious that the girl didn't feel like talking. She felt even more awkward then.

How could it end up like this?

In less than just a day, they had become like strangers. She hated it, and she blamed it all on Lancer! Why? Because why not? He deserved it after all the things she had suffered because of him. Seriously though, she would do anything to solve their Masters' silly quarrel. She would even endure spending a night alone with the walking furniture of mass destruction himself if it meant those two would make up.

An idea popped up in her mind then. The moment became somewhat dramatic at least to her since it so happened just as the elevator made a ding sound. The bright hallway that greeted her as the door opened only added to the dramatic effect. It was as if she just received an enlightenment.

Now back to the idea.

Their rooms were located next to each other. They had reserved two rooms, one for guys and one for girls, with two separate beds each. Their stupid leader had given her one of the keys just because he was reluctant to interact with her Master. What a silly boy. She would not pass up this opportunity.

"Such a tedious day... I'm glad it's over, but I still feel terrible." Her eyes darted around slyly until she found her target. "Hmm, I just know what I need."

With such a convincing seductiveness that surprised even herself, she moved dangerously close to Lancer before looking up at him with now half lidded eyes.

"Spending the night in a man's embrace would surely make a woman feel good in the morning. What do you say..." Her finger trailed down his chest. "Karna?"

Hopefully, the insufferable man would see her intention and play along. She really depended on his famed ability to read people here. To her pleasant surprise, he didn't disappoint. An unmistakable intensity showed up on his normally apathetic face as he looked back at her.

"I am always willing to help a woman in need."

Their Masters were understandably shocked by such an alarming turn of events. Both were too tired to suspect anything suspicious, though. Instead, they tried to get their minds of it to avoid any more awkwardness. It was inconvenient for sure, but it couldn't be helped. The Servants appeared to be adults on their prime so it was only normal.

The group's leader let out a tired sigh as he gave the remaining key to the quite lady beside him without looking at her face.

"I'm going to get one more room. Please don't wait for me."

However, before he could even take a single step, his Servant gave him a disapproving look.

"Is there a reason why you can't just share the room with Lady Irisviel, Shirou? There are two beds in there if you don't want to share one, correct? It's already late. There's no need to inconvenience your injured self."

There was no way for the poor boy to argue with that without making him appear immature. Caster had to stop herself from laughing out loud at his stupidly frustrated expression.

How priceless.

Lancer really deserved some credit for being so convincing, even going as far as scolding his Master. No matter how much he got on her nerves most of the time, she got to admit that he was reliable. Perhaps she'd give him a nice reward later in their room if he was okay with that. Oh who was she kidding? This was Lancer, a walking furniture.

Shaking her head, she turned toward the now seriously uncomfortable looking kids with a smirk.

"Well, good night you two!" She winked naughtily. "Don't worry, we wouldn't be too loud!"

Without waiting for a reply, she then grabbed Lancer's arm before dragging him into their room. They had no problem with the key. And once inside, she leaned back to the locked door with a satisfied sigh.

"Whew. That was awesome! I'm so glad that you picked up easily and played along without question, Lancer. That was one hell of an act, I tell you."

"... Act?"

She froze at that, at his strange tone. Looking up slowly, she found his face still having the same intensity as before.

"Y- Yeah? Act?" She gulped nervously. "Y- You know, how we pretended that we wanted to s- sleep together back there... I mean, it was all to make those moody kids share a room... right?"

No reply.

The man wasn't exactly looking at her face, she realized. His intense gaze had come to settle on her bosom... She felt her body shivered at this.

This was not happening...

She had gotten used to consider him as an emotionless furniture that she forgot that he was still very much a functioning male. It shouldn't have been such a shocked to her, though. It was pretty much expected. She heard he was a great warlord in the past. Surely the number of women he had taken to his bed was comparable to the many lives he had taken in battles, right?

Still...

It wasn't that she hated the idea. If he really wished to take her, she would do her best to please him. It was just, this would be her first time in her very new life. There was also the worrisome possibility that he would be as ruthless in bed just as he was in battlefield. She didn't think she was ready for that yet.

Sensing her anxiety, the man in her thought inwardly chided himself for losing control of his senses even just for a few moment. He honestly didn't know what had gotten into him, not that it mattered. It was his responsibility to fix this misunderstanding now.

"I suggest you to clean that as soon as you can." He pointed at her chest. "It would be harder to clean such a stain after it dried out."

Eh?

Taken by surprise, Caster blinked slowly in confusion before looking down to her chest. And sure enough, there was a noticeable stain on her shirt from the juice she had earlier. It didn't bother her, though. All that mattered was she could stop being anxious now. It was pretty much unwarranted after all.

With careful steps, she slowly walked past him. She wanted to laugh at her idiot self then as she flopped down on one of the soft beds.

There it was again.

Once again, she had misunderstood him. How many times did she need to make a fool of herself until she learned? She did not in the littlest bit interest him. To him, she was nothing but a stupid fox woman that he had to put up with. And it was not supposed to matter to her. So why did she feel this dejected?

Shaking her head, she finally looked back up at him.

"It's fine. This ugly trench-coat deserves it." She shifted uncomfortably. "Anyway, back to what I said earlier, you understand that we were just acting, right?"

"There was no acting on my part." He shrugged. "I read your real intention, and decided to cooperate without question. Your idea seemed rather desperate with no guarantee of success. However, I cannot see any other way for those two to reconcile other than having them talk about their problem in private."

The sad excuse for a date that he arranged for their Masters came to her mind, and she almost snorted.

"Yeah, I get what you're saying. We basically forced them to have some alone time back in that forest, but it had only made things worse somehow... Do you think we just made another mistake now?"

"The worst that could happen is nothing changed. I believe Shirou is smart enough to not make their problem worse than it already is."

"... And the best?"

"Amakusa M6 would be conceived this night."

If she didn't know any better, she would've taken that as a joke. Still, she couldn't help but chuckle lightly. There was no way that couldn't be a joke.

"That's a good one, Lancer." Her chuckle stopped short as she saw his deadpan look. "... That was meant to be a joke, right?"

"..."

"Of course not." She sighed in disbelief. "You're dead serious. I should've known better by now."

"I am always serious when it comes to our Masters' wellbeing and future."

It was so tempting to point out that he was serious all the time with no exception, but she held herself back. It was not worth it. She was still not ready to receive another insult from him.

"I get your fanaticism. You as an honored Servant live for your Master and all." She shrugged lightly, trying to imitate him. "But it's kinda curious that you actually care about my Master too."

"Lady Irisviel is a genuinely caring and understanding person. I feel obligated to protect her at all cost because as strange as it might sound, I have come to see her as a..." He paused a bit as if searching for the right word. "... little sister."

Then for some reason, the fox woman was giggling madly. As it appeared, the thought that this infuriatingly dull guy could be so sweet had never crossed her mind. She couldn't wait to tell said 'little sister' about it, but for now, she wouldn't let such a hilarious thing pass.

"Ooh who do we have here?" She squealed exaggeratedly. "It's Karna-oniichan!"

At last, she got a reaction out him. She could've sworn his face reddened slightly. The deadpan look returned almost immediately, though.

"You can't blame me for being protective of her."

"What are you doing here then?" She smirked all to mischievously. "Currently, a certain bad priest might be doing lewd things to your kawaii imouto in the room next door, you know!"

"We all know Shirou is too prude for that. The only lewd thing we have here is your mind, Caster. I expect nothing less from a fox in heat, however."

A pink eyebrow twitched.

She should've seen the insult coming. It was about time actually. Though he wasn't exactly wrong if she was being honest. Perhaps it was just a coincident, but she was somewhat in heat actually. Still, it was none of his business!

"Excuse me, Bakarna." She scowled. "Don't tell me you conveniently forget that you were the one suggesting that they might spend the night making a baby."

"There's nothing lewd with that." He shrugged. "I was simply pointing out that it would be better if such an inevitable thing happens sooner rather than later."

This was hopeless.

There was no way she could win an argument with him, she thought as she decided to just call it quit.

/

The finely furnished room was supposed to feel warm and pleasant, not like this. It was not the room's fault really, but all the tension and awkwardness made it feel suffocating. And it would've been unbearable with silence if not for the sound of running shower coming from the adjacent bathroom.

The male occupant of the room tiredly glanced at the closed door to said bathroom as he finished closing the arrow wound on his shoulder with a healing spell. His female companion had immediately run into there without a word as soon as he opened the door to the room. There was nothing he could do. Though on the bright side, it had given him an opportunity to freely treat his injuries. If she was here with him, she would've complained about him taking off his shirt.

Currently, another argument was the last thing he needed.

He was not used to having any kind of arguments. After all, no one had dared to argue with him, not even the fearsome Knight-Commander of the Order of Templars. It was somewhat understandable then that he couldn't handle this well.

To be honest, he felt rather immature, even more so when his Servant reprimanded him. Normally he wouldn't have considered such a thing, but this time was different. He started to realize then that it was because of his permanent youth. As long as was in his seventeen years old form, he would always be bound by the emotional capacity of a clueless teenager. Perhaps it was also the reason for all his failures in the past. He knew that he had been just an immature boy too stubborn to admit that he was not ready to carry all those heavy responsibilities...

This had to change.

Immediately he concentrated fully on the Noble Phantasm of his left hand. It took him a bit of effort, but he in the end managed to adjust his Xanadu Matrix's ability responsible in preserving his youth. With this, his aging process would continue normally at least until he reached his physical prime. Hopefully it would make a difference.

He refused to fail again.

His gaze returned to where the girl had been confining herself for almost an hour then. She had taken much longer than necessary for just a night bath, enough to catch a cold, not that she seemed to care about that. He began to feel worried nonetheless.

As unlikely as it was, the adjustment he just made earlier seemed to have already taken effect. He could finally see how foolish he had been for thinking that their problem would solve itself in time. Just like his wounds, he could've left them alone and they would eventually heal, but if he did that, they would leave permanent damage. He would not forgive himself if the same happened to their amicable relationship because of his stubbornness.

He needed to act.

Coming to a decision, he silently walked up to the bathroom door before turning around to lean his back against it. This would be close enough. He knew how exceptionally good her hearing was. She should be able to hear what he was about to say despite the still running shower noise.

"... Irisviel?" He hesitated, still getting used to call her by name. "I am sorry for being too hard on you. It was really not necessary. I should have seen how regretful you were already... I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, especially after losing control, almost harming you. There is no excuse."

The shower was not so noisy anymore, meaning that she was at least trying to listen, he noticed with relief.

"You might think I was being mean and stupid. I couldn't agree more. Nonetheless, that was not my intention. I was doing it wrong, but I honestly just wished for you to learn to be more responsible. There is nothing wrong with being carefree, but don't let it turn into recklessness."

He paused for a moment, giving her a chance to talk back, but she remained silent, so he continued slowly.

"You remember the first time we talked? It feels like so long ago, doesn't it?" He smiled at the memory. "Back then, I told you that I would help you to become strong enough to stand against fate on your own. I really meant that. And I am still determined to keep those words, because that's all I can do for you... -"

"- I wouldn't be able to be there for you forever no matter how much I wish to. I only hope that when the time comes for us to part ways, you wouldn't need me anymore. You would give me one last smile, and walk away with no regret."

Obviously, he had no expectation that she would just open the door and tell him that it was all okay. Things couldn't just return to normal that easily. However, he absolutely had not anticipated to hear a faint but unmistakable sobbing from behind the door...

Feeling so worried now, he quickly turned around.

"Irisviel? What's the matter? Have I said something wrong? Please answer me."

To his dread, it only made her sob harder...

He had to get in. And thanks God, he found the door actually wasn't locked. He knew what he was about to do could possibly make things worse, but he had to take the risk. His mind was too worried to think about consequences as he quickly entered.

And his already abundant sins doubled, he could feel that almost literally.

As his eyes fell on the girl's fully naked form leaning helplessly against the tiled wall, he cursed himself for having a dirty thought. It was also really not the time for it. Shaking the unwanted thought away, he immediately moved to turn off the shower. Then with a forced calmness, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it carefully around her shivering body.

Her sobs had not yet ceased, however.

In desperation, he finally forewent all reasons by pulling her gently into his arms. And she soon instinctively pressed her face on his still dreadfully bare chest, seeking comfort. He tried to keep calm, though, because she herself began to calm down. Her sobs had lessened enough for her to finally talk.

"... I am sorry... don't leave me... please... I'm sorry... don't leave me..."

She repeated those words over and over with occasional sniffles in between.

He didn't want to lie to her, but to give an honest answer would only hurt her more. He could do nothing then but hold her even more securely in his arms. To his great relief, it seemed to be good enough for her as she began to doze off slowly. This way, at the very least, he'd be able to prevent the unimaginable awkwardness that would surely happened if she stayed awake.

/

A drowsy pair of maroon orbs opened slowly.

The dim light of the room gave her an easier time to adjust. First thing she noticed was she was lying comfortably in a soft bed. It was soon followed with a shocking realization that under the warm comforter, her body was completely nude. She felt her face flushed as she tried to recall how she ended up in such an embarrassing predicament. The last thing she remembered, she was crying on his chest...

His bare muscular chest...

She blushed harder.

It didn't really matter. She wasn't looking. He was certainly looking at her, though...

She covered her red face with a pillow.

But what happened next? Did he...

No.

He was too respectable, not to mention prude, to even think about doing anything inappropriate to a sleeping maiden. Most likely, he just carried her out of the bathroom and then disposed her 'sinful' body to this bed, all the while, his eyes closed.

Where was he anyway?

Right then, she finally noticed the sound of a running shower in the bathroom.

Good.

It would give her enough time to put on some clothes.

She quickly spotted her suitcase that she had dropped carelessly earlier in her hurry to the bathroom. It was quite a distance away from the bed. She had to make it quick because it seemed that he just turned off the shower. Unfortunately, she had only made a single step when the bathroom door swung open.

In panic, she grabbed the closest thing she could reach to cover her body with. The red fabric looked awfully familiar, but it was only after she put it on that she realized it was his signature holy vestment. For some reason, she blushed harder at this. It was not the time to think about it, though. Quickly, she held the front of the fabric together in a desperate attempt to hide her nudity.

Time seemed to stop as the owner of the thing she wore finally emerged from the bathroom.

Her mouth fell open weakly just as she was about to scream. Her attention was focused solely on his still bare upper body. Naturally, she loved the view of the strong muscles there, but surprisingly enough, that wasn't exactly what took her attention the most. Nonetheless, all this attention clearly made him beyond embarrassed. As he was about to turn back into the bathroom, however, she returned to her senses.

"Those scars..." She swallowed hard, holding back her emotions. "How did you get them? What happened to you?"

It was hard for her to just stand still after what she saw. She couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of hell he had gone through in the past that had left such horrible scars all over his body. All the pain he had suffered, it pained her heart even just to think about it. Despite that, she found herself longing to get close to him, to tenderly caress every single one of those scars...

Unbeknownst to her, her face showed what she felt clearly enough, and he finally gave in.

"I failed. That was what happened. And this is the reminder of that failure... the second greatest failure in my life."

The vague answer didn't please her, but she accepted it for now because something at the end caught her attention.

"... What is the greatest then?"

His eyes showed a brief sign of hesitation before it disappeared entirely, being replaced with such a sincere resolve as he looked at her gently.

"I failed her... I failed to protect her. I promised her that I would win the Grail for her so she could live in happiness. But I failed to see the bigger picture. I was too focused on winning the war that I failed to realize until it was too late that it all meant nothing if I lost her..."

Of course it was about _her_.

She felt her heart dropped, both from jealousy and sympathy, but she pushed aside the former until the latter turned into guilt.

"I am sorry for badmouthing her. I was out of line. I know nothing about her..." Then she scowled suddenly. "I still hate her, though. This would not change."

"It's okay." He chuckled slightly. "And you're allowed to hate her. I have no right to judge you, considering how much I hate my own self."

His words sounded kind of strange and suspicious to her, and for some reason, it made her curious about _her_.

"... If you don't mind me asking, what was her name?"

She was not prepared to see him smile at that. It was such a breathtakingly tender smile that she couldn't believe it was actually directed at her. But he did not make a mistake her. This particular smile of his was reserved for one only.

"Lumina-chan..."

And it just got even stranger and a lot more suspicious. Maybe she was only overthinking it, but somehow, it seemed like he was addressing her instead of telling her the name. Growing confused, she decided to focus on the name itself.

"That sounds like a name for a childish girl."

"Oh, believe me." He chuckled again. "She looked ready to murder me the first time I called her with that name. It's true that she was a bit childish, though, especially every time she couldn't get a joke. She had a serious difficulty in that regard. Nevertheless, to me there's no one sweeter than her..."

Hearing him talk so fondly about _her_ made her grips on the red coat tighten until her hands turned white. She had always been a good girl, but right this moment, she wished _she_ was still alive just so she could kill _her_ herself. However, she also couldn't help but wonder what was so good about _her_.

"I don't get it." She frowned at him. "What made you like her so?"

"Well, I don't think I can tell you exactly what, but it all started as soon as I appeared before her. She believed in me the second our eyes met. Surprisingly enough, it had nothing to do with my capacity as a Servant. She believed in me simply because I was **her** Ruler."

"But you failed her." _... you failed me..._

That was basically what he heard.

The fact that he failed her had always threatened to break him, but he still managed to live on with it for so long. This time was different, however. This time, she pointed it out herself. He had come to understand that those two were not exactly the same despite being the same person, but it still devastated him.

He was breaking down in front of her.

What was she thinking?

She didn't think obviously. She was jealous. And her jealousy compelled her blunt mouth to speak up without thinking. Now she was desperate to make him feel better. She could think of nothing, however, except for following her heart...

Just act.

Her hands fell back down, letting the cloak fall open and her nude body show, but at the moment she didn't care. She walked up to him without even a hint of hesitation. And once she was close enough, she wrapped her arms lovingly around him. He stiffened slightly at the contact, but she didn't pull away, and just rested her head on his shoulder as she began.

"I don't know her... But if I were her, I would never blame you. Why would I?" She held him tighter. "You gave my life a meaning. With you, I've learned and experienced so many things. You fought for me. And you made me a promise. It would be nice if you could fulfill it, but to me, what mattered the most was how you showed me clearly how much you cared about me with that promise."

That was just what he needed, and more...

For the second time in his life, tears fell down his face. It was different from the first time, however. Back then, he lost control of his senses entirely. This time, those senses were overcome with hope. And he felt like he could forgive himself at last with this hope. It was simply heavenly to him that he had to wonder...

Could this be his salvation?

Here with her, he dared to hope so.

"Arigatou..." He leaned his head gently against hers. "I could never thank you enough, Irisviel, but... thank you."

"You're welcome." She felt her heart flutter. "... Shirou."

They stayed like that for quite some time, relishing in each other's presence. If only it could last forever... He was soon afraid he couldn't bear it for much longer, though, much less forever, as he finally realized something.

"Irisviel..." He felt so nervous now. "Uh, don't get me wrong, you surprisingly look good in this coat... but... you wear something under it... right?"

They both went red in that instant. Then almost immediately, the girl shoved the boy back into the bathroom and slammed the door on his now hopeless face.

/

It was still rather dark outside, not to mention cold. Dawn had barely come. Thin layer of fog still engulfed the parking lot of the hotel. Most would still much prefer to stay in their warm beds instead of going to such a place this early in the morning. Caster was no exception. What was she doing here then?

Nothing.

She was not alone actually. She came here with Lancer. He had been doing some check ups for the car just like what his Master usually did. It was the reason he got up so early, thoughtlessly waking her up in the process. Of course she was annoyed, but whatever weird thing he decided on doing was none of her business, right? So why did she follow him?

She would never admit it, but she was secretly afraid of being alone, of being left behind.

It was so boring, though.

From her prone position on top of Akane's roof, she saw him carefully adjusting the headlamps, and couldn't help but scowl in annoyance.

"You know, I feel kinda jealous. You seem to like Akane much more than me. I mean, look at the way you treat her! Are you in love with her?"

"She deserves a well treatment from me because I enjoy riding her."

That didn't sounded right. She got what he meant. It was a good thing too that he had started to refer Akane as a she, but still. No matter. She was annoyed.

"Seriously? Hah. Would you treat me better if you enjoy riding me then?" Her eyes widened abruptly then. "No, Bakarna! Forget that!"

"It would be easier for you to understand if you could drive as well, Caster."

Driving...

It seemed interesting enough to her. She remembered how excited her Master was once she was finally allowed to drive Akane. She remembered how it turned out then, and shuddered. Her first experience with car was horrible, but from then, she had grown quite a bit interested in driving.

"Hmm, it would be a bad idea to learn from Iris for obvious reasons. Asking her stupid Shirou to teach me is a no-no." Here, she sighed sadly. "And asking you would be like asking for insults..."

Lancer paused at that, and finally glanced up at her.

He really didn't understand this woman. As far as he was concerned, he had always treated her fairly, but for some reason, she was convinced that he hated her. In actuality, although he didn't think it was worth mentioning, he honestly enjoyed her company. He often found himself anticipating her reactions each time they had a conversation. If there was an opportunity to see more of her colorful characters, he would surely take it.

"I am willing to teach you if we have the time."

That was not what she had expected, like at all. She had even braced herself, thinking that he would make fun of her again. It was such a surprise to her.

"R- Really?"

"Yes. We ought to ask Shirou's permission first, however. Do not forget that Akane is his."

She groaned then.

If it wasn't obvious already, she couldn't stand the stupid brat currently. He dared to hurt her sweet little lady's feelings again and again. She really dreaded asking a favor from him. It was bad enough already that she had to obey him just because he was their leader.

But she really wanted to learn...

"Fine... Last time I checked, though, he and Iris hadn't left their room. The door was still locked." Then she gasped suddenly. "Do you think your version of best-case scenario has really come true?"

"Possibly."

His nonchalant response really irked her.

"Bad oniichan!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "No decent oniichan would just shrug as he heard that his innocent imouto might've gotten knocked up by a boy she's not even dating!"

"If that really happened, Shirou would just have to take responsibility." He shrugged. "In any case, Caster, it was your idea to put them in the same room to begin with."

Once again, Caster could only scream in frustration. This time, her cry resounded throughout the parking lot. Fortunately, tough, barely anyone was here at this time of the day. That still didn't mean her shrill scream did not attract any attention.

A tall and well-built young man appeared. Despite the white uniform-like outfit he wore, somehow he managed to appear like a battle-hardened warrior from medieval era. His rather long and unruly light grey hair only made him look even more like one. All in all, he was very attractive with how handsomely rough he was. Most importantly, though, he was clearly not an ordinary person. But he hid it really well as he walked up to the unlikely duo.

"Excuse me." He gave a friendly smile. "I believe I heard this young miss screamed earlier. Is something the matter?"

Said young miss was too busy ogling the good-looking stranger to answer. Luckily, her companion was ready to do it in her stead.

"We're sorry for causing disruption." He stood up calmly. "My partner here actually has an acute fear of height, but she tried to commit suicide by jumping down from the top of the car because she thought I have a romantic interest in it."

All went quiet for a moment.

The partner in question just didn't know what to think. The fact that he referred to her as his partner was a pleasant surprise. But it was quickly overshadowed by the fact that he just made it sound like she was the dumbest creature ever walked the earth.

The stranger on the other hand, looked on in bewilderment, but then acted like it was quite normal.

"Ah, I see. It was a private matter then. My apologies for barging in." He glanced at Caster then. "But, miss? Please don't try to commit 'suicide' again."

That just made her seem even dumber. But before she could try to complain, her companion, not wanting to risk their act, stepped in.

"There's no need to worry. We were only doing some check ups for our car before we return home."

"Oh?" The stranger then took a better look at the car. "Is this an M5? Amazing."

"Indeed. I assume you have a car as well?"

"Yes." Here, he pointed at a black coupe parked not far away from them. "That black Audi Quattro."

It was clear from appearance alone that the car should not be underestimated. And Lancer found himself wanting to test its real strength.

"Fascinating. I wonder which one is faster, this M5 or your Quattro."

"That makes me curious as well. Sadly, I'm currently on a tight schedule." A challenging smile appeared on his face then. "But perhaps we could find out if we come across each other again?"

"That would be much anticipated."

The two stared at each other in challenge until suddenly the stranger looked back to his car.

There, a gorgeous young woman with rather messy but stylish blonde hair in a long braid came out of the black coupe's passenger door. She looked mature and intelligent with slim reading glasses over her teal eyes. And complimenting her impressive features, she possessed such an amazingly voluptuous figure dressed in an elegant female version of the male stranger's white outfit.

In a graceful noble-like manner, she waved at him. He returned it with a soft nod and smile before turning back for the last time to the unlikely duo.

"Well, it looks like my _wife_ has begun to feel impatient." He chuckled a bit. "It was nice to meet you two. I hope we will meet again."

With that, he then returned to his supposed wife, leaving the two to continue their silly bickering.

/

The black Audi Quattro accelerated with a roar as it left the parking lot. The man behind the wheel glanced somewhat worriedly at the woman seated to his right. She appeared to be in deep thought. It was quite rare for him to see her looking this tense despite having known her for almost three years already. If he wasn't driving, he would've taken her into his arms. But for the moment, he just had to try something else.

"We're heading back to the headquarters straightaway or do we have a new order, Master?"

"Please, Saber. I don't get why you still call me Master often. We're partners, and it's not been limited in the line of work for a while now."

"Well, you still call me Saber even in private at times..."

His light attempt of teasing didn't escape her notice. He just wanted to make her relax, she realized. It still made her blush slightly, but she quickly shook the thought away. It was not the time to think about personal matters.

"We just received a new order."

"It must be quite serious if it makes you this tense, Sabrina."

"Last night, approximately at 20:15, a great explosion shook Zone 12. The devastation it left behind is reported to be comparable only to what your Noble Phantasm is capable of." A determined look settled on her face. "We are going to investigate it."

* * *

 **I make it possible for Shirou to have a better control over his Xanadu Matrix. His power would evolve over time, perhaps by learning the true potential of his Noble Phantasms or something. I want his character to grow. This story is about the trials he has to overcome to become a true savior in the end.**

 **About the Saber that appeared at the end of this chapter, his identity would be fully revealed later, but I guess it's already quite obvious who he is.**


	7. ambush

**Sorry for the late update! I've been feeling so unmotivated, even more so than usual, haha.**

 **07**

* * *

The graceful figure of Magus Captain Sabrina Kross caught everyone's attention as she confidently walked through the main hallway of the Special Mages Division's headquarters. Eyes, as usual, turned toward the prodigy with admiration and envy. It was completely understandable, however, seeing how perfect she appeared to be. Not enough with being blessed with a stunning appearance, she also possessed what others could only dream of.

Coming from a well respected magus family, the gorgeous young woman could easily get anything she desired. This included joining the nation's most elite military division at the age of sixteen five years ago. Since then, she rose in ranks faster than any expectation to prove that her exceptional talent had been the main reason behind her recruitment. Becoming the sole leader of the classified Servants Unit at its formation three years ago only solidified her position as one of the most important figures in the military.

Alas, fame and reputation also often brought unwanted results such as rumors and gossips.

That day as she headed toward the general's office, she noticed some whispers of a particularly new gossip along the way. For once, her intimidating presence alone didn't seem to be enough to deter them, because it was about none other than her supposedly nonexistent love life. It was already surprising enough that her stoic self was interested in that sort of thing, but no one had been prepared to hear it even though they should have seen it coming.

Being in such a troublesome predicament would have normally made most people, particularly females feel uncomfortable, but it wasn't the case for her. Her serious expression was not there to hide her embarrassment. In actuality, she was simply too busy thinking about something very important, to her at least. She had been unsettled about this particular matter for years, but had never found enough courage to speak up about it unfortunately.

Adjusting her glasses as she stopped before a familiar large door, Sabrina let out a frustrated sigh.

"This time for sure. This time, I'm really going to speak up about my proposal to change this division's name."

That might sound rather odd, but she was dead serious. Since the start of her career, she had always been awfully bothered by the division's generic and downright uninspiring name. She just couldn't believe how unimaginative the higher ups were. Surely it would have boosted everyone's morale and productiveness if they operated under a cooler banner like the Sternritter or something.

With this newfound courage, she confidently entered the office. No words left her lips as she closed the door behind her. She just silently adjusted her glasses again before looking up fearlessly at the one who recruited her all those years ago.

The old general sitting behind the large wooden desk should've already retired, but the government still refused to grant him a dull life in the countryside with his dog. His experience and leadership alone still made him invaluable despite his mediocre skill as a magus. Nonetheless, it was no secret that he had been preparing a successor. And it was none other than this young officer standing proudly before him.

A scowl marred his already wrinkled brow as he noticed her expression that seemed to show all her intention to murder his old bones so she could take up his position sooner. But before he could even speak, she beat him to it.

"If you're going to question me about the recent rumor, do not bother. I will not deny that my relationship with Saber has turned out to be no longer strictly professional. I know what I'm getting myself into. And I know you are not going to do anything about it, because I am still as effective as ever and far more productive than everyone else here. It is best to not blow this issue out of proportion."

No room for question.

From the way he sighed tiredly, it was clear that her superior was already too used to in having to deal with her peculiar attitude.

"Yes, _ma'am_. Now sit down and tell me what you're here for."

"I have this one proposal... about..."

Where the hell was her courage now?!

Her face reddened.

She was finally reminded of the reason why she had never had enough courage to speak up about this matter. What kind of respectable grown woman make a big deal of her dislike toward the name of her workplace?

Feeling so silly now, she could do nothing but silently do just as what she was told. Thankfully, she was reminded the real reason she came here in the first place as she remembered the folder she brought with her. Without further ado, she gave it to her superior.

"Sir, I think we have gathered enough information about the recent troublemaker group to finally make a decision."

Following the mysterious explosion in Zone 12 sixteen days ago, several other minor but still concerning incidents had occurred at other supposedly confidential locations. She had not expected to find out that the bickering pair her partner encountered in the parking lot that particular morning before they started the investigation were the ones responsible. The motive behind it was still a mystery, however.

After some minutes of reading through the files and reports, her superior took the only photo from the folder and put it in the middle of the desk. It was a quite unclear shot of a group of four moving through crowds. At the front were the ones suspected as Servants, a white-haired man and a pink-haired woman. Following closely behind the woman was more than likely her Master, a teenage girl with long fair hair. He seemed to pay them no mind, however. Instead, he tapped a finger at the barely visible outline of the fourth figure that she confidently labelled as a he.

"How did you come to the conclusion that this one is the leader?"

"The fact that we could hardly make out his figure is not merely an unfortunate coincidence. He deliberately and meticulously hid his presence in the crowds. It was effective enough to even make our photographer think that the group only consisted of three when she took that shot."

A nod of approval was given to her for her impressive insight. Her superior didn't bother to hide how proud he was of her. However, he still felt the need to test her for a bit more.

"At this rate, how should we response to their transgression?"

"So far, no real confrontation has occurred between them and our forces, but it doesn't make their actions any less suspicious. There is also the concerning fact that they know too much about a lot of confidential information regarding this nation. We must not take this matter lightly. Capture their leader. Send Saber himself for this mission, along with Rider if we want to be more certain."

That did sound like the best course of action to take. The general admitted that. They needed to know more, and there was no better method than to question the group's leader directly. However, it seemed that his genius subordinate was too focused on the potential level of the threat. Her rash plan to send their own strongest fighters to deal with it only confirmed this further.

"If a large battle between those overpowered Servants occurred, we would be in a deep trouble not only with the government but also the Mages Association." He shook his head in disapproval. "We cannot afford that. We are not yet ready to disregard them."

The subordinate bit her lip slightly, inwardly berating herself for failing to see such an obvious possible consequence to her plan in the first place.

"Then I propose we send Assassin. Her Noble Phantasm is suited for ambush. It would prove to be effective in achieving the mission objective. There should be no problem. Archer can come with her to keep her in check. The girl is a handful, but she always listens to her 'big sister'."

"That sounds better. You have the permission to start this mission as soon as possible. Now get out of my office."

That was an order she'd gladly obey.

Taking her leave, Sabrina adjusted her glasses once again as she assumed her role as the Servants Unit's leader.

With the exception of Saber, the Servants worked independently from their Masters. Those Masters were all higher ups doing mostly desk work. Their command spells were still very much essential as a safety measure, but officially they had no authority over their Servants and almost nothing to do with them. To put it simply, they acted only as anchors to this world. After all, the Servants' loyalty had to lay solely on their division and the nation itself.

Saber, Archer, Rider, and Assassin.

The unit only consisted the four of them. It was the maximum number agreed between the government and the Mages Association. So far it had been more than enough, and hopefully it would remain that way.

Soon later, the young officer reached the cozy lounge exclusive to her unit. It came as no surprise to her when she was immediately greeted with the usual show of Rider's futile attempt to win over Archer's heart. This had been going on for almost three years already, and the persistent hero still had not given up. Though as usual, he always spared a moment to mischievously greet their dear leader whenever he spotted her.

"How unusual to see our buxom chief walking around without her Servant/husband by her side." He smirked lecherously, ogling her bosom. "Hmm, perhaps she's finally tempted to try this mighty Rider's skill in fondling such enormous racks? It'd feel much better than whatever Saber could do."

But he didn't even get an eye roll from her. There was no need to retaliate. The always reliable Archer always did it for her.

Faster than Rider could even blink, the woman of his dream shot his eye with the pen she had been using to write a report. It got the desired result instantly as he cried like a girl. His invulnerability prevented him from taking any damage, but it still hurt like hell since the makeshift projectile had enough power and velocity to pierce a wall. And to add insult to injury, she just looked away in disgust.

"You're an embarrassment to all Heroic Spirits in existence."

"Nee-san! I was just fooling around! Those kind of cow tits don't interest me, really. You know I much prefer the nice flat ones like yours -"

He realized his mistake a second too late. Archer's majestic Bow of Heaven already manifested in her hands, complete with a glowing arrow aimed at his face. His face immediately went pale at this.

"Nee-san..." He gulped nervously. "... Mercy?"

There seemed to be none...

The mighty Rider relied on his famed speed then to turn tail. And once he was gone, the two women shared a victorious smile.

/

Spending nearly an hour convincing the others that it'd be a good idea to go to this small town festival was so worth it. It had been so much fun!

The past couple of weeks had been like a dream come true for Caster. She had been spending her second chance in life having fun going around this amazing country. It was kind of wrong to feel this way, though, she knew that. She had to remember the real reason she was allowed this second chance. Still, she couldn't be happier to be alive again and spend this new life with the ones she had come to cherish so much.

As she walked happily, she glanced sideways to her fellow Servant, and her cheeks went red slightly. Before, she would never have guessed that they would ever get along, but fate never ran out of things to surprise her with. And what a surprise it was! Somehow she had grown closer to this downright infuriating Lancer, close enough to be friends perhaps? Or maybe more?

Just kidding.

A moment later, she looked forward again to check on the other two important persons in her life.

Thanks heaven the silly lady and her stupid sensei had long since made up. She shuddered as she remembered the gloomy day back when those two had a fight. Curiously though, things hadn't really seemed to be back to normal between them. She didn't know what had actually happened, but the intimate banters and fond gazes had not made a return, still. Instead, those adorable things for some reason had been replaced with something horrid that never failed to make her cringe...

The not so dating pair had naturally come to walk side by side. A fairly small gap separated them, but good grief, it was filled to the brim with awkwardness! From time to time, the boy tried to start a conversation, but it always ended up so lame.

"It's getting late, somewhat cold too..." Nervously he tried again. "Are you okay, Irisviel?"

"Huh?" The girl's eyes widened in surprise. "I- I mean, yes. I'm fine with cold! My home is located on top of a snowy mountain, so... I'm still good... just like I told you a few minutes ago..."

For the record, it had only been four minutes since he asked her a similar question.

"Ah, really?" He chuckled awkwardly. "Oh well... I'm sorry for being a bother then."

"Oh no! It was very nice of you, Shi-" Her face reddened. "It was very nice of you, sensei!"

"Uh, you don't have to force yourself to be kind and polite to me."

"But, you're my Shirou!" She quickly covered her mouth in horror. "I mean, you're my sensei..."

What a cringefest.

Caster was holding back a scream. She couldn't stand this anymore. This nightmarish stuff had been going on for too long. She got to speak up or else, she would risk having her reputation ruined simply because she screamed like a madwoman in public.

"Enough of this! I've been patient enough. Now answer me, kids! What happened that night the two of you shared a room?" She gasped dramatically. "Don't tell me this cringefest started just because you two were having a bad first time experience!"

Then as if a switch had been flicked, the pair was simultaneously back to their usual cool and collected selves again.

"Pardon us, Caster." The boy gave his usual fake smile. "I'm afraid we don't understand what you mean with first time experience..."

"And nothing happened." The girl gave her Servant a suspicious stare. "Honestly, I think we should be the ones who asked you what happened, Caster. We've noticed how you've been getting awfully clingy to Lancer after you spent the night with him. And he taught you to drive!"

Crap.

Caster should've known that it would backfire this horribly. She forgot to put her Master's harmless grudge over the fact that she had become a better driver than the girl into consideration before she opened her mouth.

"Oh, nothing much happened..." An idea popped in her head then. "I mean, your oniichan was such a lousy partner. He was already done before we could even get to the bed! I bet I went to sleep much earlier than you."

The kids raised an eyebrow at her, but said nothing. No matter. Anything to shut them up. And Lancer... Lancer never cared about whatever she was babbling about! Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be the case this time...

"How ungrateful." He gave her an unimpressed look. "I responded to your advances only because I didn't wish to offend you, Caster. In actuality, I don't find women with tails appealing."

It was like suddenly being soaked with a bucket of ice water.

She didn't make a response. She didn't have the will to. She no longer have the will to do anything. For the moment, all she wanted was just to fade away, disappear. She couldn't, though.

She ran away then.

After long minutes of aimlessly walking alone through the happy crowds, Caster finally noticed that she had been followed. And she was surprised to find out that it was none other than him. The spark of hope that involuntary appeared in her chest quickly diminished, though. She'd bet he was only doing this on the kids' request.

It was best to ignore him.

Suddenly, she spotted a funny looking tent nearby. It was pretty small. She didn't know what it was, but it caught her interest. So without a second thought, she decided to take a look for a bit. There was only one person inside. Sitting behind a wooden table was a nice-looking granny who looked up from the set of cards in her hands at her entrance with a smile.

"Welcome, young miss. Please, have a seat."

"What are you doing here alone, obaa-chan?"

"Oh, I'm here to help those who wish to get a better look into their future. I am what they often call a fortune teller."

Almost immediately, said young miss threw herself into the empty seat with an overly eager look on her face.

"Ooh, can you tell me if I would ever get married? I would, right? With whom? Do I know him? Where do I need to find him?"

The old fortune teller only smiled warmly and began to work with her cards, and before long, she looked up again with a wider smile.

"It would not be an easy road for you, but one day, you would as long as you keep on believing. And he's already close to you. Perhaps you just need to look back once in a while?"

Caster literally did in a heartbeat, and again, she tried to hold back a scream.

He was there, standing quietly right at the entrance like a statue.

Never before had she felt this frustrated. Her self control slipping quickly as she turned back toward the table. And before she knew it, she was already on her feet, leaning forward, her hands firmly grasping the fortune teller's shoulders.

"How could you, obaa-chan?!" On instinct, she started to shake the frail body in her hold furiously back and fort. "You could've just told me a colorful lie to cheer me up, you know! I would've been so grateful to you! So why did you warn me about an impending doom istead, huh?! Say something, _KUSO BABA!_ "

But the old woman remained silent. Her head lolled weakly... Her eyes closed...

Uh oh.

"... Obaa-chan? No! No! No! I'm so sorry, obaa-chan! Please open your eyes, obaa-chan..." She then looked back pitifully. "Lancer... What should I do? I think I killed her... I didn't mean to. It was an accident!"

"Look outside, Caster."

"Huh?"

"Just come out and take a look around."

Giving the poor granny one more sad look, she did as he said. And what she found outside made her gasp in shock. Everyone had fallen to the ground, motionless. It was then that she also noticed the strange mist covering the whole place from out of nowhere...

"What is happening, Lancer?"

"It is most likely the work of a Servant. Rest easy. All of them only fell unconscious, including the one you called obaachan." He paused slightly to look into the distance. "I don't think it would be an easy task to reach our Masters, however."

Caster's relief was short-lived. She was so glad that the old lady was okay. If Lancer proved to be right, though...

"What are we waiting for then? Iris might be in danger... Hurry -"

It was like a blur then.

All she heard was a strange sound. And the next thing she knew, she found herself in his arms as he made a sudden move to get the both of them away. The harsh sound of something striking the ground hard reached her ears a split second later. Shocked and confused, she looked back slowly at the place they stood earlier, only to find a crater as big as Akane there...

Meanwhile, Lancer stared intensely into some place she couldn't even see. It seemed so far away, and the mist didn't help his vision, but he still managed to have a good grasp of the situation.

"An Archer to keep us distracted. It wouldn't matter much, however. Their biggest mistake is assuming that Shirou would be helpless without a Servant."

"Don't be ridiculous, Bakarna! There's a sniper around! Your imouto is not completely safe from danger just because her stupid Shirou is there with her."

But her complain fell on deaf ears apparently. She finally snapped at this. And her frustrated scream broke the silence within the mist.

/

All of a sudden, all her surrounding was covered by a strange mist as far as her eyes could see, and the people all over the place fell unconscious. But Irisviel felt relieved, to her own puzzlement. She knew all of this only meant danger, but that was honestly the first thing she felt. It was quite a surprise since she had never seen herself as one of those people who seemed to relish dangers.

The reason was quite simple actually.

If danger came, she had to prepare for a fight. There would be no time to keep being silly. And at long last, begone, you nerve-wracking awkwardness!

Interestingly enough, her sensei seemed to share her sentiment. Relief was apparent in his eyes as he turned toward her despite trying to appear serious.

"Put all your senses in high alert, Irisviel. Focus for defense. Stay close to me. And last, don't let a seemingly harmless appearance deceive you. You might risk getting struck right at the heart if you let your guard down."

For some reason, something about his warning made her look at him weirdly.

"Did you by any mean just describe about yourself, sensei? If so, why? I know well enough the 'danger' you possess... already experienced it firsthand even..."

"Eh?" He blinked in bewilderment. "I was talking about a certain Assassin..."

Right at that moment, fortunately or maybe the opposite, a small mysterious figure appeared silently in the distance, saving the pair from an impending return of the dreaded awkwardness. The mist provided a good cover, but they could still tell that it was the figure of a child. It happened only briefly, though, and Irisviel was left to wonder if she really had seen something.

"... A little girl?"

"No. A highly dangerous Assassin-class Servant. This mist is the result of her Noble Phantasm. As you can see, it is actually a Bounded Field. It's somewhat intriguing, however, that it appears to have a much wider radius than normal in exchange of being less harmful. It doesn't seem to possess any negative effect beyond making people quickly lose consciousness."

"That only mean she's not as bad as you make her out to be."

"You never know."

She couldn't help but frown in disapproval at that.

"You just don't like children, do you?"

"Eh? How does that have anything to do with our situation?" Again, he blinked in bewilderment at her. "No matter. It's already dark, and since you're female, you would be an easy prey to her. This would be a problem if we're not careful."

That did it. It had been a while since she felt this angry at him.

"You have something against females now?"

"What? That just makes no sense. Stop asking pointless questions. There's no time to explain. Just do as I say, and we should be fine."

To her, they were already not fine. Did he really expect her to obey him without question just because she was female? How could he?

At the moment, she was afraid that the longer she stayed with him, the more likely they got into a fight again. And she really didn't want that to happen. It would be better if she was with Caster and Lancer...

Coming to a decision, she silently used an empowerment spell on her feet. She slipped away then as soon as he turned his back on her, and ran as fast as she could through the mist. Of course, she was well aware that he would notice her missing in no time. It would be easy for him to catch up to her too. In fact, she wouldn't have even bothered trying in normal situation. She only went with it in the hope that the mist would prove to be obstacle enough to him.

After some minutes of running faster than ever in her young life, Irisviel in the end made a stop at a crossroad. She noticed she had been followed. It didn't come as that much of a surprise to her, though. She just tiredly turned around, ready for another argument. But then her eyes widened in a real surprise.

There standing not far away from her was the little girl from earlier, smiling all too innocently.

"Are you okay, miss? Why are you running away from your lover?"

"He's not my lover!"

Her cheeks heated up as she realized that she didn't sound so convincing with her too quick response. Seeing this only made the smiling girl giggled.

"Is that so? _We_ have been hesitating for no reason then. _We_ were worried it would break your heart if _we_ take him away from you, you know."

"... What are you saying?"

"If he's not your lover... you wouldn't mind if _we_ take him away from you, right? _We_ know he is your dear leader."

If only she were in her normal state of mind, Irisviel would've found what she just heard to be plainly absurd. Really, she would've even tried to persuade the small Servant to go home, because it'd be so dangerous for a little girl like her to be near her stupid sensei. Unfortunately, her mind was still somewhat troubled after her earlier argument with him, enough to make her feelings get the better of her.

"I won't let you take him away from me."

"Oh? He's your lover then? Just admit it, and maybe _we_ would leave you two alone. If you keep being stubborn, though..." Here, the little girl grinned wickedly. "You have to beat _us_."

 _Put all your senses in high alert, Irisviel. Focus for defense. Stay close to me._

Thankfully, she remembered his first two instructions, and managed to avoid the strange knife thrown by Assassin before her small form disappeared into the mist. She regretted that she had already failed to follow the third one, though. As for the last one... thinking about it only made her feel so embarrassed for her silly response earlier.

Shaking her head to clear her thought, she then used her specialization in ice elemental spells to form an elegant-looking ice shield that she held with her left hand. Soon later, she sensed another attack coming, and raised her shield in time to block her opponent's dual slash that came from above. The force of impact made her knees buckled, but to her relief, the strange blades couldn't break through her defense.

The little Assassin only grinned wider as she kicked at the shield lightly to do a backward flip before landing easily a few meters away. For the next few seconds, she just stood there watching the pretty lady in amusement.

"Ooh! You are fun to play with!"

It didn't offend Irisviel at all that the Servant was only 'playing' with her. To her, it was better this way. She really didn't like fighting. Still, she would fight back and try to find a way to end this quickly. The odds were all against her, but she believed she still had a chance. She just needed to think clearly.

It appeared that her small but very dangerous opponent relied mostly on agility and deception. With this knowledge alone, a plan quickly formed in her mind. There was no time for second guessing.

Her right palm began to glow faintly as she created and maintained freezing breeze in her close proximity with it. Seeing this, her opponent seemed to think that she was ready to play again, and charged forward without hesitation. Like before, the attack was met with the sturdy ice shield, but the little Assassin was relentless. The small body allowed her to easily duck away before delivering another swift attacks from different directions.

It was hard for Irisviel even just to hold her ground. Her senses had been put into overdrive, and yet she could barely keep up. Even with a shield, her defense was still not enough for this. Assassin's unrelenting assaults had inflicted multiple minor cuts all over her exhausted body. It was all not for naught, however. Her plan had seemed to come to fruition.

The subtle but constant freezing breeze that she still carefully maintained had managed to impair her opponent's speed and agility. The little girl seemed to be too absorbed in her 'game', and didn't notice the change, not even the thin layer of frost on her small frame. It didn't take long, however, until it finally changed the course of the fight.

All of a sudden, Assassin stumbled awkwardly just as she was making a mad dash from the cover of the mist.

Irisviel didn't waste the opportunity.

She rushed toward her fallen opponent with the intention of knocking her out. Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned. Just as her ice shield was about to bash the Servant's head, it was intercepted. This time, instead of slashing, Assassin thrust one of her blades at the hard surface with both hands.

The already fragile shield shattered to pieces.

The blade stabbed Irisviel's shoulder.

Holding back a cry of pain, she fell back quickly before falling to her knees. On the other hand, her opponent was already back on her feet, skipping happily toward her. There was nothing more eerie than a little girl smiling innocently with deadly blades in her hands.

"Phew. That was fun! You seem to be tired already, though. Would you just admit it now?"

To her dread, Irisviel found herself blushing. She would've slapped herself if only her right hand wasn't already busy tending to her injured shoulder.

"I can't!" Her eyes narrowed in frustration. "He and I are not a couple no matter how much I want us to be one."

The Servant looked to be very surprised by this revelation. But before she could say anything, she was forced to jump away and hide herself again within her mist. Right at the place she previously stood, a pair of thin blades had embedded in the ground.

The Black Keys. Irisviel would easily recognize them anywhere.

In anticipation, she listened to his barely audible footsteps coming closer until his figure came into view. His eyes were on her, and she quickly looked away in shame. She knew she didn't look her best at that moment, far from it. She didn't want to know what came to his mind as he watched her slumped pitifully on the ground with bloodied clothes like this.

Her eyes widened suddenly then as she felt a drastic change in his presence. The familiar warmth was gone without a trace, replaced by an ominous cold that made her shiver uncomfortably. Worried, she chanced a glance at his face, only to find nothing unusual. He didn't even seem angry. He still looked like the usual benign priest she knew so well, but this only worried her even more.

He just walked away from her without a word. As he did, she saw him use a conjuration spell to bring forth a spectral chain with his left hand. Then he stopped, and suddenly threw the pointy end of the long chain to pull something from within the cover of the mist.

It all happened so fast.

Irisviel couldn't be more shocked when she spotted a familiar small figure wrapped in chain soaring through the air helplessly before being forcefully slammed into the ground. This brutal scene left her stunt. It was just too cruel, and worse, it didn't seem to be over yet. She quickly forced her body to move when she saw her unusually ruthless sensei drew the Miike Tenta Mitsuyo.

The moment she reached him, she wrapped her arms desperately around hm, and only then did she notice how tense he was.

"Enough, please! I'm okay. That's all that matters, right?"

Her voice had an immediate effect on him. The familiar warmth gradually returned as he lowered his sword.

"Indeed. I am sorry, Irisviel. Now you've seen how awful I could be..."

"I will still not see you differently."

That was more than he deserved. He knew that, but he couldn't be more grateful to her.

Feeling better, he returned his attention to the defeated Servant. In a sense, he appreciated that she had not used her highly lethal Noble Phantasm on his most precious person. In the end, putting this into consideration, he dispersed the chain binding her.

"It's over, Assassin. Please break off your Noble Phantasm. You should return home, and tell your comrades that we mean no harm."

It took no small amount of effort for the small girl to get up again, but she didn't seem to be bothered by this. Instead, her eyes were full of wonder as she looked at the pair before her.

" _We_ knew it... You two really are lovers!"

"Eh?" Once again, he blinked in bewilderment. "Do I miss something here?"

And Irisviel could only hide her blushing face behind his shoulder.

/

The dancing flames of the campfire illuminated the dark surroundings of a small abandoned field. The warmth they provided was enough to give the deserted place a sense of comfort and security. All in all, it wasn't such a bad idea to spend the night here.

For the umpteen times that night, Shirou turned his gaze away from the fire to take a look at Irisviel's sleeping figure snuggling against Caster's snoring form under the cover of a big tree.

Thanks God, the girl's injuries were not as bad as he thought. She had no problem healing them herself. Of course, he had offered to help, but she shut him down instantly with a glare. It was only later when he accidentally spotted her taking off her tops with the help of her Servant that he realized his stupidity.

To forget his shame, he spent the rest of the evening discussing the day's event with his Servant.

He had already suspected from the start that the military's Servants Unit was the one behind the ambush. It wasn't simply an attempt to pick a fight. Their target was none other than him, that much was certain.

It was just about time, really.

It also came as no surprise to him that there was another enemy Servant beside Assassin. An Archer. Lancer told him that dealing with the unknown Archer directly was unrealistic, since they attacked from far outside the mist coverage. Obviously, this only served as a distraction. Thankfully, their attacks were too careful to not harm the civilians to prove to be a real threat.

What really gave them all trouble back there was the mist's ability to negatively affect their sense of direction. Admittedly, it was only thanks to his Revelation skill that he managed to find Irisviel in time. As he saw her bleeding on the ground, however... he simply lost it.

He took a deep breath.

As hard as he tried, he just couldn't get the image out of his mind. It hauntingly reminded him of the scene from a time long past, the time when he had to say goodbye to _her_ , the one point in time his original self finally ceased to exist. If it were to happen again, all that was left of him might turn into an apocalypse itself, and tear the fate and reality asunder.

 _I'm okay. That's all that matters, right?_

But of course, she was always right in the end.

Perhaps he was too absorbed in watching the girl's sleeping face, because it caught his Servant's attention from across the fire.

"What's keeping you awake, Shirou?"

He got startled slightly, but for once, he didn't even try to hide it.

"The wonderful sight of her, honestly." He smiled fondly. "It's beyond my comprehension. She has finally seen my true color, how horrible I actually am. Then how could she just embrace me, saying that she will not see me differently?"

"I don't see the problem. You should be grateful to have her by your side."

"I am beyond grateful, but it also scares me. Being with her somehow reminds me of being the person I originally was in the past... the clueless boy who just wanted everyone to be happy..."

* * *

 **Another familiar faces are introduced here to give this story more Apocrypha feels.**


	8. rescue

**I guess it's about** **time to see the story from Lancer's perspective for a bit. I tried to avoid it before because most of the time he appears to have nothing on his mind.**

 **08**

* * *

The legendary hero now a Lancer-class Servant was not disappointed.

He knew since the start that assisting his enigmatic new Master in this quest would prove to be much more interesting than partaking in a regular Grail War. So far, it had been full of surprises. And to his amusement, he even found himself looking forward to what they would experience together next with no small amount of anticipation.

How could he not, really?

First and foremost, it was still hard to believe that he was fortunate enough to have those three, the pair of precious Masters and the ridiculous fellow Servant of his, as not only comrades but also friends. There was also the amazing red companion of theirs that housed hundreds of horsepower within her beautiful metal body. The times they all spent together were simply memorable. He had the change to glimpse what it felt like to be a normal person, not a hero, demigod, or merely puppet of fate like what he used to be.

The fact that he felt much more like a servant in his past than here with them was ironic.

It was true that he had lived and died with no regret. But he also knew all along that all the things he had done in his previous existence were simply to fulfill expectations, duties, and responsibilities. He just accepted everything because it was in his nature to do so. For the same reason, he had also never dreamed to experience all the things he had done so far in this second chance.

Really, he could not remember ever 'sneaking around' in an effort to free a 'damsel in distress' like what he was doing at the moment.

It was also at this very moment that the woman behind him lost her patience. He had been standing still right in front of her for minutes. Her complaints went ignored, so it wasn't her fault that her hand moved on its own. Nonetheless, she would be recorded in history as the only one who had ever dared to give the arguably most destructive Heroic Spirit in existence a nice slap... right on his behind.

Surprisingly enough, instead of running away in a hopeless attempt to save her hide, the brave woman stayed on her spot. And it wasn't simply because she was too terrified to move. She looked to be pleasantly dazed for some reason. Surely she didn't take pride or even pleasure in what she did, right?

Not even his most fearsome nemesis had ever dared to do what this strange Caster just did without thinking. If he were any ordinary warrior, he would have been offended and perhaps killed her on the spot. But this Lancer was far from ordinary. He only raised an eyebrow as he turned around to see her dizzy expression before making a statement.

"I would have returned the favor, fox woman, if only your humongous tails would not get in the way."

It was her turn to be snapped out of her wonderful daydream. What immediately came to her mind was his hand on her butt, and it aroused her! Sadly, it didn't last long. As soon as her mind started to work properly again, the embarrassment and anger made her face turn red.

"Would you ever quit making fun of my tails, Bakarna?! And d- don't get me wrong! I took no pleasure in what I did! It was your own fault for standing still with your back on me for no reason, in the middle of an open field no less. We're supposed to be sneaking around here!"

"No. Your 'sneaking around' tactic doesn't make sense, Caster. We're supposed to distract the Servants guarding that place to give Shirou an opportunity to rescue his captured friend."

"Oh..."

For the next few minutes, they both stood in silence as they looked on the barely visible military base located beyond the woods ahead of them. Their thoughts were on how they got into this situation.

It all started with the news that the military's Servant Unit had arrested a woman of the church who happened to be their leader's most trusted acquaintance. The boy had asked their opinions regarding this matter. He didn't force any of them to partake in this, saying that it was solely his responsibility to save her. He also told them to not worry because he still had plenty of other acquaintances that could help him with this problem. But before he even finished speaking, their sweet Irisviel asked him to just stop being stupid, and of course they completely agreed with her.

A silly smile appeared on Caster's face as she remembered how proud she was of her Master for showing Lancer's stupid Master who's boss. She continued to smile for a while, at least until she remembered that she was supposed to be angry.

"Well then, If you have a better idea, speak up already."

"You go on ahead until they spot you. Return here immediately after that. I'll handle the rest."

Seriously...

She knew he always had a very low opinion of her, but she had never thought that even he had the heart to treat her so inhumanely.

"You ask me to be bait?!" She looked at him in disbelief. "That's so mean, Bakarna! Why don't you do it yourself, huh? You're the one who can fly here! They'd notice you easily."

"It would be far too suspicious to see someone of my caliber make a retreat after being spotted by enemies. That means, between the two of us, you are the better bait." He shrugged easily. "It is only natural. Predators would more likely consider something with tails as their prey."

"Fine! I get it. Just stop making fun of my tails!"

As she begrudgingly walked away, Caster wished she could curse this infuriating man to have some kind of tail fetish of something just to spite him.

/

It was getting dark, but the fox woman had not yet returned, still. Lancer couldn't help but wonder if she got lost. He knew that her competency was pretty much questionable, but he didn't think it took that much competency, if at all, to be bait.

Could it be that he was wrong?

Or perhaps it was her who was beyond incompetent...

Just then, as if to voice an objection, the disturbingly familiar sound of her scream break off his thought. It was loud and obnoxious enough to even drown out the alarming sound of explosions that accompanied it. Fortunately, it didn't effect his sharp perception that badly. He could still recognize her pursuer with no problem just by hearing those series of explosions.

Soon, his frantic-looking partner came into view, running desperately toward him. One after another, unmistakable glowing projectiles followed her escape in rapid succession, shattering the grounds around her. Interestingly enough, whether it was intentional or not, her frenzied and unsteady movements made it hard for her pursuer to land a shot. Regardless, it was a good thing that she returned relatively unharmed.

He remained idly in place as she reached him at last and instinctively hid herself behind him. It was left to him then to deal with the following projectile that came at them a split second later. He deflected it casually with a flick of his spear. It was not that he had lost confident in his invulnerability. He just didn't want to risk his jacket getting damaged.

After his show of prowess, the attacks ceased immediately, and the one responsible finally showed up. As he already expected, it was indeed the Archer from that attack in the festival. Though he actually didn't expect to see a very slim female clad in a strangely familiar white uniform.

His Master was not there with them to provide information about this particular Servant, so he had to rely on his natural ability to read people. At first glance, he could see that she was an idealistic and dedicated individual. But she also seemed to possess a deep sense of compassion that was not freely given to just about anyone. All things considered, he easily deemed her worthy of respect.

Now appearance wise, she was remarkably pretty, objectively speaking. If he had to describe it, she was like a perfectly crafted doll. Adding to the list of things that amused him for the day, however, she appeared to have some resemblance with his partner. It made him wonder briefly if it was common for female Servants to possess animal attributes.

Interestingly enough, it was only then that Caster herself finally noticed her similarity with her pursuer. She tentatively left her hiding place to look the other woman in wonderment.

"You... Your ears... and -" Her eyes widened slightly. "... Is that a tail?"

The ever serious Archer looked puzzled for a moment, but after a brief cosideration, she deemed that there was no harm in having a bit of conversation.

"Yes. Mine is compact, just as I prefer." She shrugged slightly. "And one is more than enough for me."

"Hey! How mean! It's not like I want to have this many!"

"It wasn't my intention. Even if it was, I have every right to be mean, don't you think?" Here, she became serious again. "I am your enemy. And I'm aware of your plan. It wouldn't work, I tell you. There is still one other Servant guarding the base, and he's much stronger than I. So I suggest -"

"NEE-SAN! We're supposed to have dinner together!"

Atalanta could only facepalm as soon as she heard the annoyingly familiar voice. Inwardly, she was trying hard to convince herself that snapping at the idiot would only make their situation worse. It would be in their best interest to stay calm and not let the enemy notice how much she actually wanted to murder her partner at that moment. He soon landed closely next to her, his cocky grin in place, and she took a deep breath to make herself at least appear calm enough.

"Go back to your post, Rider. I have this under control."

"Oh please. Guard duty is real a waste of my talents! You know very well that the true purpose of an esteemed hero like me is to remain by the princess' side, keeping her always safe and satisfied."

For some reason, the close interaction between Archer and the newly come Rider managed to captivate Caster. She looked at them in full wonderment and a bit of envy perhaps before sighing dramatically.

"How sweet... And what a handsome gentleman. She's so lucky. They really make such a cute couple..."

Hearing that, both Lancer and Archer could only look at her in bewilderment. Rider on the other hand couldn't be more elated as he took a better look at her figure, giving her a wink and charming smile.

"Why, thank you, pinky missy! You look to be quite a splendid woman yourself. As wonderful as it sounds, though, cute is not the best thing to describe Nee-san and I." His smile suddenly turned into a predatory grin. "We are the strongest couple in the world!"

Lancer's bewildered expression remained in place at that. The same couldn't be said for Archer, however. Her patience was wearing thin, and she turned around before she lost her composure for real.

"If you think you're too good to do your duty, I'll do it then. Feel free to stay here and show them how much of a _hero_ you are."

This time, it was Rider's turn to be left in stupid bewilderment. Seeing this, Archer allowed herself to smirk faintly before going back to the base. In just a few steps, however, she found her path suddenly blocked by Caster of all people. It was definitely a surprise. She considered it more of an annoyance, though, until she saw a newfound look of determination in the supposedly cowardly woman's face.

The other two Servants watched their partners' unexpected confrontation with raised eyebrows for a moment. Chuckling in amusement, the Rider-class one decided to leave them alone, and turned toward the Lancer-class one with an arrogant smirk.

"Hey! Lancer, right? Why don't we let our girls have a bit of girl time, huh? In the mean time, let's see how tough you are. You pick the place!"

With a shrug, Lancer transformed into his full Servant form, replacing his casual attire with his battle regalia. He didn't even give the other Servant a second glance before launching himself into the sky with a burst of flame.

Rider let out a whistle at the display of power. Excited, he didn't waste any more time to transform himself, and his white military uniform was soon replaced by his fancy armor. His Troias Tragoidia appeared immediately after that at his call, giving him a quick ride to the evening sky.

High above the clouds, the two immensely powerful Servants took a moment to silently assess each other.

Since the start, Lancer was already quite aware of the extent of Rider's strength, but it didn't matter that much to him. He'd rather read the person's character than mulling over such a thing. And honestly, he was not as impressed with this Servant as he was with the female one even though he could sense his divinity. It was a pity, he thought. His obnoxious attitude seemed to overshadow his loyal and easygoing nature too much.

As for Rider, he also noticed Lancer's divinity, and it was obviously all that matter to him.

"So, you're some kind of demigod too, huh?" He grinned excitedly. "Good! It would be so boring otherwise."

And so it began.

The famous hero Achilles charged forward with a speed that made even his impossibly stoic opponent's eyes widen slightly. Admittedly, it was only thanks to his immaculate instinct that the other hero managed to evade this initial assault even just barely. Without delay, the same instinct also guided him to retaliate by launching a lethal strike with his spear that would surely pierce the chariot.

It ended up only striking thin air.

Only then that Lancer decided to utilize his sight better. In doing so, he easily spotted Rider with his chariot already closing the gap rapidly again from different direction. And in a split second, he was forced to dodge again, but this time, he already prepared a counterattack beforehand.

It still missed.

Thus it became clear that this Rider was marginally faster than him. This newfound fact made his lips turned upward slightly as he watched the fastest individual he had ever seen prepared another attack, an even faster one. In response, instead of evading like before, he threw his golden spear with such a great force and accuracy at his fast approaching opponent.

It missed by a hairbreadth, but it also disturbed Rider's trajectory enough so his rapid charge also missed by a hairbreadth.

Before the heavy spear even started to fall, Lancer had already flown there to snatch it. All the while, he knew that Rider was closing in behind him. This time however, he didn't face him directly like before. Instead, he dived down with a burst of flame from his position of more than one thousand meters above the ground. And this unexpected move caught the other Servant by surprise for sure, ceasing the relentless charges for a moment.

His descent continued until he faced upward all of a sudden with his spear pointed toward his opponent who had made a stop briefly hundreds of meter above.

"O' Brahma, Cover the Earth."

Hovering in the air, Lancer watched indifferently the all so devastating Brahmastra hit its mark, creating a massive explosion in the darkening sky. It would be near impossible even with invulnerability to make it out unscathed of a direct hit from such a powerful Noble Phantasm with divine attribute. It didn't mean that he had won, however. He knew very well that anything could happen in battle.

Nevertheless, it remained unchanged that nothing in battlefield could ever surprise this legendary hero.

Once the explosion died down, Lancer only raised an eyebrow at what he saw. It appeared that Rider along with his chariot barely received any damage. And certainly, the reason was the grand shield he held before him. With divine power radiating from all over its surface, it was without a doubt a Noble Phantasm of the highest caliber.

The shield stood strong for a moment longer until it was lowered slowly to reveal the wielder's feral grin.

"Damn! I'll say it now. This is the most intense fight I've had since... ever!"

It was intense indeed, because as soon as he finished his speech, he had to use Akhilleus Kosmos once again to protect himself from the sudden violent blast of another Brahmastra. Another massive explosion ensued.

Unbeknownst to Rider, the overpowered attack only served as a distraction, an insanely flashy one at that. He only realized it when he spotted from the corner of his eyes the golden tip of a great spear tore through the sturdy underside of his chariot. The force of the unexpected blow threw the heavily damaged Troias Tragoidia upward, causing him to lose his footing. He fell from the sky soon with his eyes transfixed on his prized possession as it dematerialized.

Falling from such a great height would've surely killed a mere human instantly, but this hero just landed smoothly on his feet with barely an effort. The sooner he touched the ground, however, he had to raise his shield above his head because the other hero was diving down with all of his might toward him. Here for the first time ever, his confidence on his Andreias Amarantos wavered. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't think his invulnerability alone could save him from being impaled by the fearsome spear.

So it happened.

The mighty tip of Vasavi Shakti struck the solid surface of Akhilleus Kosmos. It was a mere physical clash between the two unparalleled Divine Constructs. Even then, the resulting force was still enough to create a powerful shock-wave and a large crater on the ground.

Both heroes disengaged at once soon later. It seemed that there had been an unsaid agreement to halt their battle for a moment as they stood in silence at the opposite edges of the crater. Their attention was on the beautiful rain of light in the distance that had come right after a bright glow illuminated briefly the evening sky above. It was such a welcomed sight after the violent explosions and clashes that occurred earlier.

Rider whistled in admiration. His gaze still lingered even after the rain had died down.

"Ah, the lovely result of Nee-san's 'Complaint Message on the Arrow' never failed to mesmerize me. It's pretty rare for her to use this Noble Phantasm of hers. Your pink missy must be quite something, Lancer."

"Caster is indeed full of surprises. You wouldn't believe me if I tell you that beyond that silly appearance of hers lies a dormant power that might put either of us in shame if it were to be fully unleashed."

Sure enough, Rider snorted loudly at the crazy claim. He could barely keep himself from laughing hysterically. It was rather mean of him, he knew. The woman was too nice to deserve such belittlement. He just shook his head in amusement then before facing the other man again.

"Look. You've surely noticed too that we've reached a stalemate. It would simply take too much of our time if we carry on with this all out battle. And I know neither of us plan to back down." He smirked in challenge. "So how about we turn this into a classic duel?"

Without waiting for a response, he threw his own spear casually. It sailed briefly in the air before landing right in the middle of the crater. The effect was almost instaneous. Diatrekhon Aster Lonkhe glowed brightly as its tip struck the ground. Starting from its vicinity, the place brightened until the world around them turned as bright as day. It was truly fascinating because everything around them had stopped moving as if the time itself had stopped.

His face remained impassive, but Lancer was honestly impressed as he took a look of his surroundings.

"A bounded field?" He thought for a bit more then. "No. It more resembles a reality marble. A separate dimension outside of time. An ideal battleground where no one can interfere."

Rider smiled proudly at that. His opponent had actually impressed him in both power and intelligent, it seemed. Not that he would ever admit it out loud.

"Welcome to Duel Field! The place where we can fight as simply ourselves! No divinity. No Heroic Spirit bullshits. Fight with our strength and spirit!" He raised his hands up dramatically. "Let's follow the tradition, my friend, and settle this in a glorious duel with bare hands."

"A barbaric tradition with utmost fairness. It would truly be a duel." Lancer nodded approvingly. "Very well. There is no objection on my part."

It was settled.

Their divine weapons and armors soon dematerialized, leaving them only in their previous uniform and casual attire.

And the duel to settle this violent battle finally began.

Moving first, Rider quickly closed the gap to send a powerful kick. Lancer had to cross his hands over his chest to block it, but this made his sides vulnerable even just briefly. As expected, Rider caught the opening and took this chance to land an elbow on the ribs strong enough to stagger. However, Lancer managed to recover and react fast enough to the follow-up sweep kick before it could take him down.

This far, it seemed that without all the divine powers and blessings they possessed, Achilles was the one physically superior. Aware of this, the hero became more and more bold in his offense.

And the duel continued on with Rider mostly overwhelmed Lancer. It seemed nearly impossible to turn the tables. Lancer had to let his incredible battle instincts take over and guide his movements just to keep up with his opponent's relentless attacks. He still took a considerably more damages, but most of them were glancing blows that barely affected him.

It finally came to the point that Rider, consumed with adrenaline and thirst for victory, completely forwent his defense. He thought he had taken full control of this duel, but in actuality, he couldn't be more wrong.

With indifferent expression remained in place, Lancer let a particularly forceful kick send him sprawling away. Rider didn't gave him a chance to recover as he jumped high to gain momentum. His full offensive posture clearly showed all his intention to win with one last devastating punch. But it also left him completely open to a counter attack.

And he forgot how insanely fast his opponent could be if given enough room to maneuver.

In a flash, Lancer appeared before him. Rider briefly felt a strong hand grabbed his neck. And the next thing he knew, his body was slammed into the ground with such a force that left a smaller depression within the large crater. Any normal person would've died on the spot like an insect with their body completely broken. In his case, he was only left temporally incapacitated. And of course, it hurt like hell all over.

With the duel finally concluded, the Duel Field was released automatically and everything returned to normal. It felt like only a second had passed in the real world. Regaining his bearing, Lancer stood silently over his defeated opponent. He remained in place for a while until a familiar bright projectile forced him to jump back, creating a safe distance between him and Rider.

As expected, Archer arrived soon after in a hurry. She appeared to be relatively unharmed but her eyes looked so frantic as she approached her partner's motionless form. Seeing her, Rider used what remained of his strength to give her a lopsided grin as she bent down on her knees close to him.

"Nee-san, forgive me... It seems like we're no longer the strongest couple around."

The silly remark made Archer lose it for a second. Her palm nearly made a contact with Rider's face, but she regained her control in time. Lancer watched this in silent amusement. That was until he noticed a lone figure standing quietly a good distance away to his left.

It was Caster. She was alive. And Lancer found it interesting that a sudden sense of relief washed offer him at this sight.

Under the gentle light of the moon, the fox woman somehow looked ethereal. Well, technically speaking, she looked horrible. Her disheveled figure was covered in cuts and bruises, sweat, and dirt. It was obvious that she just got out of a battle. But perhaps, it was also for this reason that her features looked sharper, finely more refined. He found it hard to look away, even more so with the gentle look she had as she gazed on their supposedly enemies.

Thus he decided to approach her.

It was only after Lancer got close enough to her that Caster noticed him staring. Suddenly feeling so self conscious of her poor state, she braced herself timidly. After miraculously surviving a rain of glowing arrows, surely she could stand a rain of insults.

"... Is something the matter, Lancer?"

"You never cease to amuse me, Caster." He walked past her before continuing. "I've never thought you could look this stunning."

It took a while for the poor woman to fully comprehend what she just heard. But once she did, the effect was instantaneous. Her jaw dropped. Her face went totally red. In such a short amount of time, she basically returned to her usual self.

/

All had gone according to plan.

Shirou could finally sigh in relief. There wouldn't be any pursuer. He had made sure of that. The distance sound of battles had also died down. He never doubted Lancer. And he knew they could count on Caster too.

His grip on the steering wheel relaxed as he once again glanced at the rear view mirror to check on the girl sitting alone in the backseat of the car. As soon as he did this, though, he received a death glare from the girl sitting to his right. He gulped quietly then as the tension within the car reached a whole new level.

It didn't help that he had no idea how it ended up like this.

At the start, Irisviel seemed to be the most determined among them to save his lovely protege, even more so than he was. It all changed drastically when the two finally met. They just seized each other quietly as he awkwardly introduced them to one another. The few interactions they had since then albeit polite had been brief and underlined with malice.

He regretted that all this years, he had never bothered to learn how female's mind worked. Honestly, he didn't know why the two didn't get along. Irisviel was such a sweet and caring person, and the same went for Sister Marian.

He had known this young woman for years, even before she was called sister. He knew how good of a person she was. With her lovely appearance alone, she could've had a much easier life by becoming a model or something. Instead, she chose a dangerous life as a disposable secret agent of the Order of Templars to contribute in the fight against evils in the world. She was truly admirable. And he trusted her greatly. She was one of the select few alive who knew his real identity and history.

The young woman in question was in the middle of straightening out her chin-length crimson hair when she noticed his distress. She abruptly stopped what she was doing to touch his shoulder gently.

"Father Shirou, what's the matter? Are you tired? Let me give your shoulders a massage."

Big mistake.

The girl in the front passenger seat glared daggers at the intruding hand.

"Don't you see that he's driving? Besides, he's not easily tired."

"That entirely depends on the situation. Don't speak as if you know him as long as I do."

Not the best choice of words.

The girl's face reddened as she directed her glare at who the hand belonged to.

"I've spent much more time with him than you could possibly hope."

"And you still have no chance. If you really know him as well as you seem to think, you would know that his heart belongs to one person only. And she had already passed - " Her eyes widened suddenly as she pulled away. "F- Forgive me, Father Shirou. I didn't mean to..."

The tension receded then, but not in the way he preferred, unfortunately. He knew she really meant no offense. She looked up to him greatly, and never wished to disappoint him. Still, he needed to say something here.

"No harm done, Sister Marian. Honestly, though, I've been hoping the two of you could get along and perhaps become friends."

"W- We would try our best." She glanced at the other girl then, giving her a timid smile. "Isn't that right... Iri?"

The girl in question was truly surprised by the sincerity in the sister's hazel eyes. She couldn't help but return the smile and nodded softly.

At last.

If he had known he could make thing better just by speaking up his mind, he would've done so much earlier. Nevertheless, he was glad that it had cleared up now. They still had more important matters to discuss.

"Now." He started with a smile. "I've spoken to Sir Victor about your situation, and he agreed to station you elsewhere, definitely to a safer location. You're still expected to report back to Vatican first, though. Currently, a few agents are waiting for you at the train station."

Most would not believe that this boy who was officially just a member of the Assembly of the Eight Sacrament could order around the Knight-Commander of the Order of Templars. Sister Marian knew she wouldn't if she didn't already know how influential he secretly was. It was one of the reason why she admired him so. And she was couldn't be more grateful that he trusted her in return.

"I could never thank you enough, Father Shirou. Hopefully I would still be able to provide you assistance in the future."

"I'm the one who should thank you here." He chuckled lightly. "You've been risking your life by working as my unpaid 'secretary' after all."

She giggled at that, but abruptly stopped as she remembered something important.

"Oh, I almost forgot. You're invited to attend this year Grand Auction by Mr Moratti. He wished to tell you himself, but didn't know how to contact you directly, so he sent the invitation to me instead."

Interesting, but should've been expected.

A long time ago, he accidentally saved the life of a street thug who eventually became a formidable mafia boss. The fool had been trying to befriend him albeit unsuccessfully since then. As for the auction itself, it was the biggest underground auction in Europe held in his manor from time to time with no fixed schedule. It should have nothing to do with a random priest like him, but here it was, he got invited to one for the first time.

How convenient.

/

Goodbye is painful.

It was the first time Irisviel had to say goodbye, and she hated it.

She admitted she and Sister Marian could hardly stand each other at first. Looking back, it was probably because they were in actuality pretty much alike that they instinctively felt threatened by each other's presence, and had a rough start. But it all changed the moment they exchanged smiles. They surprisingly could get along very well. The rest of the journey to the train station had been spent with them chatting excitedly about many things.

It surely felt like they were already close friends. The sister seemed to think so too, because a few minutes before the train arrived, she grabbed Irisviel's hand, saying that she wished to speak to her in private. And here it was.

"I am really sorry for what I said to you earlier, you know, about the 'you have no chance' part. I was lying just to win an argument, and I regret that deeply." She smiled warmly. "It's clear to see how much you mean to him. Don't give up, Iri. I don't want you to lose to a _ghost_."

Irisviel could feel tears gathered in her eyes. Such kind words and encouragement meant so much to her, more than anyone could imagine.

"Thank you..." She sniffled slightly. "Thank you. You're so kind to me. I wish we could spend more time together. It's unfair."

Barely holding her own tears, the kind sister hugged her gently.

"It seems so, yes... But we're friends, right? Friends would never forget each other. Promise we will meet again someday?"

They had really become friends. Hearing that for real made it almost impossible for Irisviel to not cry as she nodded softly.

The train arrived soon later.

The time had come for the new friends to separate already. Their friendship started with timid smiles, so it was only fitting that they also parted ways smiles too. All the while, the boy they fought over earlier could only look on in wonder.

When he said he was hoping the two could get along, he didn't expect any of this. It was almost too good to be true. He was happy for them, of course. It was just surreal how emotional their goodbye ended up to be, like they were childhood friends who grew up together. But it seemed like he was not the only one who found this hard to believe.

He glanced at the still teary girl curiously before deciding to break the silence.

"If you don't mind me asking, what were you two talking about, Irisviel?"

If only he knew that she preferred silence than talking to him at the moment. But he seemed to be harmless enough, so...

"Sister Marian said you're actually in love with me."

And that shut him up instantly. He stood still like a statue as she turned around without another word and left him behind. Her thought unconsciously returned to her last moment with her new friend.

 _Don't give up, Iri. I don't want you to lose to a ghost._

She knew exactly what those words meant. That was honestly what she needed to hear. The _ghost_ was her true enemy. It was not in her nature to be hateful, but she just couldn't help it. _She_ was the whole reason he hated his own self so. Her heart broke each time she caught a glimpse of the pain and sorrow in his eyes. And it was all because of _her_ memory that still haunted him even after so long...

Her steps faltered a bit as she looked back briefly to make sure he hasn't really been left behind. Maroon met gold for a brief moment. She quickly pretended not looking at him in particular, but she couldn't fool him this time. He happily caught up to her with an irritatingly amused smile.

Exiting the train station, the pair walked up to the parking lot together. They had agreed to meet up with their Servants there. It seemed like there was no need to wait, though. The sooner they got to where Akane was parked, they could hear unmistakably familiar voices nearby.

"Come on, Lancer! Say it again! I want to hear it again!"

"No."

"Please! Just once. I will let you grab my butt in return!"

"Do you even have one? I've only ever seen tails."

"You! Take that back!"

"No."

Caster was about to scream in frustration as usual when she spotted her Master. Her boiling anger was instantly forgotten as she ran excitedly toward the girl.

"Iris! Guess what!" She grinned widely. "Your oniichan said I looked hot!"

The pair of Masters stared at her as if she had completely lost her mind. Lancer, however, felt the need to clarify her incorrect claim.

"That is not the word I used."

"Oh? Sexy?"

"No."

"Slutty?"

"That one is not even a complimentary word."

"Uh... Arousing?"

"Foxes have pathetic memory, I see."

"Oh!" She grinned triumphantly then. "He said I looked stunning!"

The pair's not so positive reaction remained unchanged, if not worsen. The same could be said for Lancer who shrugged nonchalantly, and again, decided to make some clarification.

"Obviously, that is no longer the case."

"W- What?" All her excitement that night fell apart here and then. "How dare you play with a woman's heart, Bakarna?!"

* * *

 **Yes, Achilles' chariot have no horse here because such a sleek and ridiculously fast thing looks stupid with horses.**

 **Shirou's mysterious life as a member of the Holy Church is quite an interesting subject to me, so I will try to put small glimpses of it in this story.**


	9. Sabers

**Warning: err, just our favorite fox lady being a bit lewder than usual.**

 **09**

* * *

Following the recent incidents with the military's Servants Unit, Shirou was determined to end the ordeal with them as soon as possible. He had decided to take this matter much more seriously. He knew he should've done that since the moment he figured out the name of their leader, a familiar name that had inevitably brought back fond memories. But because of that name, he had let some uncharacteristic sentimentality cloud his judgement, instead. This would not happen again, however. To him, repeating the same mistake had always been out of the question.

That didn't mean he'd forbid himself from feeling proud of the snotty little brat he saved sixteen years ago as he let a little reminiscent of their fateful encounter enter his thought.

 _It had taken him quite a bit longer than expected to adjust to his new identity as Brother Shirou, just a random servant of the church. He knew that it would be better for him to just lay low for the time being. Still, it was not a simple matter to let go of his old_ _ _heroic_ habit even though he knew very well how much of a failure ___he was as_ a hero. Till this day, he still got himself into unnecessary problems from time to time in his attempts to help the poor._

 _Not that he'd ever regret helping others, but still..._

 _He sighed tiredly as he dusted his hands together after effortlessly dispatching a group of pathetic outlaws who thought it was a good idea to prey upon a helpless child. It was indeed troublesome, but he would do it over and over again without a second thought if necessary. Because in all honesty, this unfortunate incident reminded him of the reason he fought, what he was actually fighting for._

 _The realization put a smile on his face as he turned toward the poor little girl._

 _The moment he looked past her messy_ _ _blonde bangs_ into her fiery teal eyes, he knew that she didn't want his help, least of all his pity. It was honestly amusing. The child couldn't be older than five. ____She looked pitiful.___ _The only thing covering her scrawny form was a dirty piece of fabric that perhaps used to be a nice_ _ _ _little___ _ _dress.__ _But for some strange reason, she carried herself like a pompous royalty. She even tried to threaten him!  
_

 _ _Thinking it would be best to educate her while she was still so young, h_ e put on his warm smile and pointed to the small wooden stick in her grips._

 _"You know, a dainty little princess like you shouldn't be pointing around such a 'dangerous' thing, especially to an 'innocent' stranger like me..."_

 _"I'm a swordmaiden! Introduce yourself, shady stranger! I'm not scared of your creepy smile."_

 _Okay._

 _The poor child had to be having some problem with her eyesight despite how pretty her eyes looked. That had to be it. There was just no way his_ _practiced_ _ _harmless guy smile could appear anything but warm. He made note to get her glasses later, but first, he needed to gain her trust.  
__

 _"You may call me Brother Shirou. What's your name, little uh swordmaiden?"_

 _"... Sabrina."_

 _"Alright, Chibi Saber! If you come with me, I will make sure of your safety."_

 _"..._ _ _Saber?__ _ _ _Hmm...__ Sab-er... rina." Here she sighed like an adult. "How unimaginative. You're bad at giving names, aren't you?"_

 _It was best to pretend he_ _ _just_ didn't hear that. He refused to believe that small children could be this nasty._

 _"I am not arguing with a child. Please don't be difficult." His smile was getting harder to maintain here. "Are you coming or not?"_

 _"It's common knowledge that children must not go with a stranger, you know."_

 _"I'm a harmless stranger, though."_

 _"You sure look like a villain, though."_

 _This was so depressing. He knew he was a horrible person, too sinful, beyond saving. But he had never expected to be accused as a villain, by a preschooler no less. No wonder he always failed as a hero. Still, he would not just let himself_ _ _fail to convince this snotty brat_._

 _"Well, a_ _ _s you can see, I am a servant of the church. That means at least I'm not likely to do bad things, right?"  
__

 _ _It seemed that he made a good point. The little girl stood quietly for a moment with a serious expression that in all honestly should never adorn such a youthful face. Then suddenly, the face softened as she smiled shyly.__

 _ _"... I suppose."__

 _ _And their little memory together started there.__

He later found out that the poor child was being hunted just because her grandfather was a prominent figure in Nazis. Her parents and the rest of her relatives had been wiped out already by those misguided vigilantes. She was all alone in this cruel world.

His already beyond broken heart bled.

Against his better judgement, he allowed her to stay with him. He allowed himself to get attached again. Even then, he knew a worthless trash like him had no right pretending to be a guardian for someone so young and pure. He was better to be alone. And she deserved a chance to have a family again. That was why after about a year, he arranged her adoption to a respectable magus family in her home country. He knew them well enough. They could be trusted to provide her with the much needed love and protection. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  
________

It was honestly one of the hardest decisions he had ever made. He could still remember her heartbreaking cries as he left her with her new family. He just walked away without a word then, without looking back. But it was all in the past, and should remain as a memory.

Shaking his head slightly, he forced his thought to return to the more relevant matters.

The team had been working quite efficiently the past few weeks. They had nearly checked every possible location in the country until there was only one left. It was none other than the military Special Mages Division's HQ itself. They had done some scouting earlier of the day near the place. And at last, their sweet Irisviel sensed the presence of a Greater Grail deep within the large building complex.

He needed to plan it carefully if he didn't wish to cross path with little miss genius again.

/

Light rain in the evening always brought comfort to Sabrina's overworked mind. This time was no different. The large glass wall of the private lounge gave her a nice view of the drizzling rain outside. Here, she allowed herself a moment of respite as she rested her head on her lover's not so comfy shoulder. It was just too hard. Though she would never complain for obvious reasons.

Sighing contentedly, she took a glance at her unit.

As usual, they all lazily gathered in this cozy room after hours. Saber was by her side in their love seat, reading a newspaper. Assassin was at the coffee table, busy drawing something bizarre. Archer sat close to her, intensely watching a football match on the television. And Rider laid sprawled on top his worn out couch, moaning about his neesan's lack of attention to him.

After the battle with the enemy Lancer, the proud Servant was still pretty much incapacitated since he got injured while his invulnerability was inactive. To his dismay, his comrades thought his suffering would be good for him if only to help him learn to subside his obnoxious ego. He couldn't disagree more obviously, and in return, he was getting more and more annoying every day.

"Nee-san, can't you see I'm willing to suffer this badly to protect our honor as the world's best couple?" Somehow, he managed to look hurt. "All I expect in return is just for you to spoon-feed me. Is that too much to ask?"

Having had enough of this annoyance, but didn't want to look away from the match even for a second, Archer nudged the small girl beside her.

"Jack."

" _We_ 're on it!"

Oh shit.

Rider instantly tensed as he watched the little Assassin happily skipping closer to him with an eerie grin on her face. It wouldn't end well. He just knew it.

"H- Hey! Stay away, you sadistic brat! What are you -" He cried hysterically. "Saber, help!"

Too bad for him, his buddy, too busy cuddling with their leader, could only spare him an apologetic smile. Feeling betrayed, he cursed the other male, saying that he would give him dating advice no more. But it stopped short as he cried in terror again.

Al the while, Sabrina couldn't help giggling, albeit reservedly.

This was her other family. She had come to love it nearly as much as her adoptive one. It felt like she was the luckiest girl in the world to have them all. There was one person missing, though.

If only her savior was still here in her life...

After all, she owed this life to him. He maybe looked like a villain, but he would always be the hero of her life.

It still pained her every time she recalled the memory of him walking away. For years, she couldn't accept that he had left her behind. She begged her adoptive parents to take her to him, but they apologized to her, saying that it was for the best. Eventually, she learned to accept it as she got older, and tried to understand his decision.

She knew he was just a teenager back then. It was unfair for him to be burdened with the responsibility of taking care a child. She wished she could apologize to him for all the problem she had brought him, and say thank you. He deserved a good life, as good as the one he had given her. She'd like to think that by this time, he had already moved on, gotten married, and had children of his own. It made her happy.

If only it was possible to meet him again...

It seemed like she knew nothing about him after all. No ordinary priest had enough influence to convince her formidable parents to keep silent about him, and make himself nearly impossible to find. No harmless boy would erase a part of a little girl's memory about where she used to live at one point in her life.

Suddenly feeling too melancholic to her liking, she instinctively did what was necessary. She adjusted her glasses. And she did it just right on time. Because if she regained her composure a second too late, she would have missed the faint alert coming from one of her own security spells that she had secretly placed at several key locations within the headquarters. No one but her could sense it because it was supposed to be a secret.

She stood up abruptly and excused herself. The others, even Assassin and Rider, stopped whatever they were doing to look at her questioningly, but she just nodded at them, too distracted to give a proper explanation. They understood, though, that she asked them to stand by.

Even in a hurry, she didn't forget to grab an exquisite rapier from its rack on the way out. The Mystic Code was her family's prized heirloom gifted to her upon her promotion to her current rank in the military. The fine cutting power aside, its unique usage was the ability to negate even high level magecrafts.

There was no time to prepare herself more.

She had a clear destination in mind. It was the one place within the headquarters that could only be accessed by her and the general himself without requiring complex procedure for entry. She head there as fast as possible, and in record time, she came face to face with the enchanted large metal door. To her surprise, all of the high level spells that kept it secured had been terminated. This wasn't enough to make her panic, however. With practiced calmness, she silently enhanced her hearing with a spell as she moved closer to the door.

There were two voices, teenagers, male and female. For a second, she thought the male one sounded familiar, but she didn't let her mind linger on it. She needed to pay attention to their talk.

`How unfortunate. It's just a replica. A very fine one, though.`

`We went through all the trouble with this disguise to get in here for nothing then?`

`Well, not really. You look amazing in that fancy white uniform.`

`... So corny. You make me feel uncomfortable, sensei.`

`...`

Poor boy... Even through the door, Sabrina could tell how depressed he was by the girl's cheeky response. She almost felt sorry for him, but it was time to act. Just as her hand reached up to adjust her glasses again, however, she was left stunned by what she heard next from him...

`You know it's rude to eavesdrop, _Chibi Saber_.`

The heavy door opened then from the inside, and she was met with a _creepy_ smile she hadn't seen in sixteen years. She couldn't believe her eyes. There had to be something wrong with her glasses. Because there was no way that it was really him. But except for his darker skin tone, he looked exactly the same as her hero. He didn't appear to be even a year older.

Losing control of her senses, she didn't even notice the tears falling down her face as her lips moved shakily.

"Bro- ther..."

/

This was really concerning.

Saber had never thought his overly poised Master could lose her composure this badly. Her eyes were frantic as she briefly made her return only to ask him to come with her. She didn't even bother to adjust her glasses, and it never happened before. The others simultaneously asked what happened, but not him. Despite his concern, he did just as she asked immediately.

The problem she was facing was a personal one, that much was certain.

Once they got to the car, the girl immediately settled in the driver seat. This must be really serious then, because usually, she'd rather let him drive as she tried to relax. After working with her for years, he could tell that her mind was already running fast, thinking of all the possible route whomever she was after might take. All the while, he only watched silently.

It was really not the time for this, but he couldn't help admiring how gorgeous his woman was at the moment. Somehow, the deep longing and desperation on her face blended astoundingly together with the determination that defined her personality.

The familiar roar of his black Audi Quattro snapped him out of his reverie as it drove through the main gates, making him feel like a fool.

What she needed in times like this was his support. And he would give her all he had without question. It was the least he could do for this strange girl who dreamed to become the embodiment of his belief so he would be able to fight alongside her with all his heart, just so he would be able to be himself again. For her and her only, he would overcome any obstacle.

As if fate had already decided, the moment his thought ended, a great obstacle, possibly the greatest he had ever encountered came into view. A majestic figure stood silently in the middle of the road, blocking their path with a golden spear. It was none other than the Red Lancer who had defeated his near invincible friend, and the man he had a casual conversation with before all this incidents started.

It was still drizzling outside as his Master stopped the car. He silently asked her to stay inside before going out to face the other Servant.

"Hey. We meet again. Not to find out whose car is faster, unfortunately. Maybe another time." He sighed sadly. "So please, step away."

For a moment, the stoic Lancer seemed to regard them carefully, before lowering his spear.

"Your _wife_ may pass."

Saber couldn't help but chuckle lightly, recalling his not so honest claim. He then looked back to his _wife_ and nodded gently. They didn't exchange any words before she sped up again, past the intimidating Servant. He still watched on in concern, and only once the car safely disappeared from view did he return his attention to his would be opponent.

"Thank you. We appreciate your understanding, but may I ask why?"

"She is in desperate need to convey her feelings to someone. Even I have no right to intervene regardless my duty."

Okay.

Saber was impressed. But he also felt a tinge of jealousy. After years knowing Sabrina, having been intimate with her even, he still had difficulty reading her. How come that this stranger could do it so easily? Nevertheless, he still admired this Servant's great sense of honor.

"That's very honorable of you. However, I still have every intention to come after her."

"You will fight me then." Lancer readied his spear again. "It is inevitable."

Inevitable indeed.

Regretfully, Siegfried transformed into his full Servant form, becoming the great juggernaut with one only weakness. They were mistaken, however. To him, his vulnerable spot was not a weakness. Because in all honestly, he considered Armor of Fafnir as nothing more than another piece of armor. As a true warrior, he never stooped so low as to rely completely on mere armor. And it had been proven with the fact that he slayed the great dragon itself as a vulnerable mortal.

Time seemed to stop briefly as the battle began. The rainwater hovered in the air for a split second before resuming their decent to earth again as a loud clang resounded throughout the empty road. In that split second, a mighty upward swing of Balmung was met with the long shaft of Vasavi Shakti.

Lancer managed to block the lightning fast attack, but the force of the blow launched him into the air. Without pause, Saber followed his offense by jumping high to deliver a downward slash. It was dodged even just barely, and the resulting minor burst of Balmung's power tore the asphalt road in half. Lancer didn't bat an eyelash as he retaliated instantly by impaling his spear at Saber who had ended up very close to his reach. It missed somehow, and he suddenly felt a sword hilt dug into his gut hard.

With a burst of speed, Lancer gained altitude just as Saber's feet touched the ground again. He immediately evaluated what happened. The two of them were on par in term of speed and strength, so why? He figured it out soon enough. Despite his flawless skills and unparalleled battle instincts, he still treated his weapons as nothing but tools. Saber, on the other hand, became one with his weapon. That was the only way Lancer could describe how impressive it was.

No matter.

He would simply overwhelm his opponent until he broke him. With that thought, Lancer channeled his Mana Burst (Flame) into his spear before unleashing its power in a series of rapid thrusts that produced numerous fiery projectiles.

In response, Saber's whole form glowed briefly. Then in a flash, he swung his greatsword high in a wide arc. Teal energy in the shape of a large crescent burst forth from the swing to meet the spear-like flames that rained down upon him. The resulting violent explosion in the air instantly evaporated all the surrounding rainwater. It also left heavy damage all over the vicinity. Debris flew everywhere, making it hard to see the surrounding.

But not for Lancer.

With all his might, he struck down hard. Saber didn't have a chance to dodge, and could only block the tip of the fearsome spear with the flat side of his blade. The ground he stood on shattered upon impact, and he lost his balance briefly. Lancer took this opportunity to launch relentless attacks from from every possible angles, using every opening he could find. Each strike was precise and perfectly executed. His flight ability combined with his insane speed allowed him to perform maneuvers that really should have been impossible.

At this rate, not even the mighty Rider he had fought before could keep up with such brutal and unrelenting assaults. Any lesser opponents would have been shredded to pieces already.

Saber, however, once again proved his worth. Although it was impossible to block, parry, much less evade all those attacks, he managed to keep the damage to minimum with his skills and talents. He knew his Noble Phantasm alone would guarantee his safety. His pride, however, would net let it. For a true warrior like him, there was a sense of pride in not letting attacks land on him.

Lancer was spot on when he considered Saber fought as if he and his sword were a single entity. His body was there to unleash his weapon's potential. And his weapon was there to complement his body. Still, Lancer was determined to not let his opponent have even a single chance to retaliate.

A powerful swipe of the golden spear forced Saber to twist his body, and Lancer took such a clear opening immediately. With practiced skill, he switched his hold on his weapon to impale his opponent's exposed side. But somehow, the lethal strike missed. Saber had used the momentum of the twist to spin around. And in a fluid motion, his greatsword came down on the spear hard, pinning it onto the ground. This time, it was Lancer's turn to lose his balance. He stumbled forward slightly. Then as he did, he nearly blacked out from a sudden headbutt to his skull.

As his opponent staggered backward momentarily, Saber's form glowed again. He twisted the hilt of his sword slightly before thrusting the blade forward to unleash a moderate burst of Balmung's power. The blast engulfed Lancer just as he recovered, taking him with it as it crashed and exploded against a cliffside nearby. The large cliff crumbled instantly, burying the Servant under it.

Saber looked on in anticipation, having a feeling that it was far from over. And sure enough, a burst of flame suddenly engulfed the massive mound of rubble until it erupted a second later in a great explosion.

/

A splash of mud water drenched Akane's face because her stupid driver didn't pay enough attention to the road. Said driver apologized for her incompetence briefly before returning most her attention back to the kids in the backseats.

They were having an interesting talk about the leader of the Servants Unit they encountered earlier. The Master and Servant here were surprised to find out that the boring priest had a history with the pretty lady back when she was small. Caster in particular was also surprised to recognize her as the _wife_ of the charming gentleman she and Lancer met in the parking lot ages ago.

"Ooh, I still remember how she looks. Her boobs are HUGE!"

"Indeed." Irisviel frowned. "I couldn't help feeling inadequate when I saw them."

"Don't think too much about it, girl! You're still growing up. I'm sure your boobs would grow to be as big as mine at least!"

Here, Shirou groaned as if in pain. He really didn't get how women's mind worked, especially these particular ones.

"Please, I really don't need to hear about such vulgar things."

"Stop being so prude, you! Boobs are good!" Caster gave her Master a serious look then. "Iris, show him yours."

"Excuse me?!"

"Oh, not you too! Listen, girl, you would show them to him eventually, anyway. Might as well do it now so you two would get used to it."

The girl in question was blushing madly, but suddenly as if her Servant had finally succeeded in corrupting her, a naughty smirk graced her soft lips.

"Fine."

Her delicate hands began to reach for her collars then. Seeing this, the boy beside her immediately shut his eyes tight. His hands instinctively found the cross pendent on his chest. And soon after, a soft murmur of prayers filled Akane's interior.

Both Master and Servant burst out laughing. It was so hopeless, the latter thought.

"At this rate, it's so unlikely Amakusa M6 would ever be conceived."

"Good!" The girl's face turned red again. "No child of mine would be an Amakusa. Much less an M6!"

"That's enough, little lady! Your oniichan would be so disappointed if he heard that."

Caster would've scolded the naughty girl further if not for a black car that recklessly overtook them out of nowhere. Immediately after, she had to hit the brake hard as the sport coupe spun around suddenly until it finally stopped. Here, she quietly apologized to Akane again for what happened.

But she was pissed.

Getting out of the car, she had every intention to teach the punk a lesson. Thankfully, the drizzles had lessened a bit. She would've been even more pissed if she got drenched as soon as she stepped out. Just as she opened her mouth to lash out, however, she suddenly lost her voice.

The reckless driver had already gotten out of the car too. And it was none other than the lady they talked about earlier! She didn't look that good, though. The white uniform she wore didn't appear as pristine as usual. Her long braid was kind of messy. Her eyes looked frantic. Her boobs were - uh, this one didn't look different, still huge. Granted, she was still absolutely gorgeous. But compared to how immaculate she normally was, she was a mess.

With a less graceful gait than normal, Sabrina stepped forward. She stopped abruptly, however, when her eyes found a certain someone.

"Brother..."

"Go home."

"I missed you..."

"Save such sentimentality for someone you actually know."

"But you're my brother... My hero."

"Stop deluding yourself. I saved you once. Nothing more."

"T- That's not true! I owe you so much... You mean the world to me."

"What are you going to do then? Leave everyone you've come to hold dear behind? Abandon everything you've achieved? For what? To chase after a shadow from a long forgotten past? Don't be foolish. I don't wish to have anything to do with you. Just leave me as a memory."

It was like a shot to the chest.

Her feet finally gave out. Sabrina fell to her knees as if her world just crumbled upon her. She didn't even seem to notice that her expensive glasses had fallen from her face as tears fell freely down her cheeks.

Caster could only stare agape all the while. It was the first time she witnessed how cruel and ruthless the boring priest actually was. He looked... evil. At this moment, she even felt genuinely scared of him. Her gaze slowly turned toward her Master then. The girl simply stood in silence with an unreadable expression. Caster wondered if she was scared too, or maybe shocked, knowing how overly compassionate she was.

It was impossible to not feel sorry for the crying lady. But it seemed that the cruel priest didn't think he had said more than enough already.

"Get up, and leave. Or I will cut you down."

This time, a shot right to the heart.

Even Caster could feel how hurtful it was. It made her worried. She felt the need to check on her Master again.

Her jaw dropped to see the girl already stood in front of the boy with right hand raised. The hard slap to the face that followed immediately was so loud. The sound resounded through the quite road. It was one hell of a slap. Any other person would've been knocked out cold for sure. It was possible that she had reinforced the hand she was using beforehand.

Irisviel stared at her sensei for a moment. Her face was impassive, but it couldn't hide the fury in her eyes. She turned around after that, and as she did, her face instantly softened. Carefully she approached Sabrina, and knelt down beside her. Then as if on instinct, she wrapped her arms tenderly around the other girl's trembling figure.

"Shh, it's okay. He's just being stupid. Believe me. It happens every so often. Do you want me to hit him again? I could do it harder if it would make you feel better. Or maybe you want to do it yourself? Come, I'll help you."

Surprisingly, those silly words worked like a charm. A soft, barely audible giggle left the crying lady's lips. Watching this heartwarming scene in silence, Caster's adoration and admiration for her Master grew tenfold.

Sadly, it seemed that someone was just too heartless to care. The stupid boy was already back to pretend as the harmless person he was definitely not.

"Irisviel, we're leaving. Sabrina is a capable adult. You don't need to worry about her."

Reluctantly, the girl complied to his order, but not before softly saying goodbye to the older girl.

Sabrina helplessly watched them leaving. The rejection still threatened to break her apart. But somehow, she found her eyes following the sweet girl instead of lingering on her _brother_. This girl named Irisviel, despite her ire, instinctively took her place by his side as they walked back to their car. It was like she knew the place was reserved for her and her only, and there was no other place she'd rather be. She was the only one that could reign his hidden darkness. There were so many questions in Sabrina's mind. But at this moment, she truly wished to know who this girl was more than anything else.

/

Nothing was left intact.

As the battle raged on, everything around them was either broken, crushed, shattered, or blown to bits. In fact, the surrounding area had ended up to be more akin to a battlefield of thousand soldiers. Once this was all over, no one would suspect that only two persons were responsible for the whole destruction. Most would perhaps think that it was the result of an unfathomable natural disaster.

An otherworldly ear-piercing sound filled the air as their weapons clashed again for the umpteenth time. It was the hardest so far, however, much harder than the previous one. The resulting force was even enough to throw both of the immensely powerful warriors a considerable distance away in opposite directions.

As they both stood up again, Lancer realized another things that differentiated the two of them as warriors. Being a warrior to him was his purpose. To Saber, it was his will. He fought for his honor. Saber fought for his belief. Lancer found himself wanting to know which path of warrior was superior, and it seemed to be the same for Saber.

[O' Brahma, Curse Me.]

[Fall _―_ Balmung!]

Then it was nothing but cataclysm as Brahmastra Kundala met the full force of Balmung.

Once it all died down, there was nothing left in the surroundings as far as eyes could see. But both warriors still stood tall. Their injuries were kept to minimum despite the damages on their armors. In the heat of battle, it didn't seem to cross their minds that they might have just destroyed the whole country. There was something odd, however.

Somehow, the world had become as bright as day...

It was then explained when Rider came into view on top of his repaired chariot. Almost immediately, he dropped his shield before leaning forward pitifully. He looked to be barely able to stand. But of course, he still had enough energy to glare.

"What the hell, guys?! I'm supposed to be the reckless one here! We all would've been totally screwed if I set off Duel Field a second too late!"

As his logic made a return, Saber looked at his friend sheepishly.

"You're a true hero, Rider!"

"Damn right, I am! Without me, you would've lost a girlfriend for sure! Even if by some miracle the chief survived the blast, I guarantee she would dump your sorry ass for being a moron."

Having been silent for a while, Lancer suddenly frowned. He felt the need to correct his old opponent about one thing.

"You're wrong, Rider. Saber has a wife, not a girlfriend."

The other Servants looked at his cluelessness in bewilderment for a moment. But Rider quickly recovered and grinned excitedly.

"Hey, Red Lancer! I'm itching for a rematch here!"

In response, Lancer casually walked up closer. And once he stood before the grinning Rider, he poked him lightly with the bottom of his spear. What happened next was simply amusing. The barely recovered Servant cried out in agony as he fell off his chariot and landed on his ass. Lancer watched this pathetic display with deadpan look still in place, and only had one thing to say.

"You lose."

Soon after that, the Duel Field disappeared as a sign that the brief 'duel' was over. The three Servants returned to the real world. And there, Saber easily made a joke about how even Rider's Noble Phantasm agreed that he was the loser.

Lancer took the moment to ponder about the real but unresolved battle between him and Saber. Realistically speaking, if it were to continue, he would hands down win. But somehow, his battle intuition told him that it wouldn't easily be the case.

/

It was past midnight, and Caster needed a soft bed so badly. Too bad for her, instead of going to a nice hotel, they made a camp. Again. And the only one to blame for this tragedy was none other than Lancer who still had not yet returned. She had been very vocal about her objection to this horrid decision, but the kids both agreed that it would be best to wait for him in the open.

At least the rain had stopped.

She scooted closer to the campfire as a cold breeze swept through. Instead of sleeping inside Akane's warm interior with the kids, she chose to stay outside for a bit because she couldn't sleep inside a car. It was really her own fault though that she still felt this cold, considering her near nakedness.

Just as usual, when she was about to go to sleep, she took off most of her clothing even her underwear. The only thing covering her body at the moment was an oversized sport t-shirt. She couldn't help it. It just felt so good to have her tails completely free. Plus it also allowed her to freely touch herself...

She sighed.

Sometimes, being in near constant heat was really troublesome. Just when it was getting good, however, her nose twitched suddenly, and her fingers abruptly stopped moving. She smelled alcohol in the air. Her head quickly turned toward the direction it came from. And guess who it was that she saw.

Caster stood up instantly, feeling frustrated as much as annoyed.

"You irresponsible man! Where have you been?! It's very late! The kids already went to sleep hours ago."

"Rider insisted to buy me some drinks because I defeated him again apparently."

"You went drinking?! Argh, you're so impossible!" She threw her hands up dramatically. "Do you know how hard it is to take care of two kids alone? If we were married, I would've asked for divorce!"

To her irritation, Lancer stopped responding. His face was not as deadpan as usual for some reason. He only stared at her silently. It really irked her to be ignored. But then, a thought crossed her mind.

Could it be that he was embarrassed to see her nearly naked? Well, she couldn't blame him. She knew just how irresistible she could be after all. It would be hilarious if he actually acted so aloof all along just to hide the fact that he was as much of a prude as his Master. She had to test it.

Feeling so bold all of a sudden, Caster proudly lifted her t-shirt to show him her bare body.

"Lancer, look! Boobs!"

He continued to stare in silence, but his gaze had noticeably lowered. He looked at the pair of smooth ample mounds with a strange interest for a moment until as usual, he decided to voice his thought.

"I half expected that you actually have six of those, fox woman, instead of just two."

The smug grin that had begun to form on Caster's face fell instantly. Never before had she felt this hurt and offended. He had went too far this time. Tears began to gather in her eyes.

"That hurts, Bakarna... If you find me so repulsive, just leave me be. No need to -"

Faster than she could blink, he suddenly appeared right before her. They were so close that their chests nearly touched. She tentatively looked up on his face then, and gasped as soon as she found his eyes. They were so unnaturally intense, so full of... lust?!

Uh oh.

* * *

 **Here it is, the culmination of the sub-arc with the Servants Unit. I guess it's kind of late, but I'd like to mention that their uniform is inspired by Bleach's Wandenreich Quincy. So, you get the picture.**

 **Now after what happens here at the end, I couldn't help but wonder if I should change the rating into M...**


	10. home

**Sorry for the delay. As mentioned in my profile, I suddenly remembered that I have other stories beside RoF.**

 **As always, I appreciate all the advice, info, and of course, supports!**

 **10**

* * *

"Alcohol beverages of this era have really exceeded my expectation..."

"... That's all you have to say after having me all night long?!"

"In my right state of mind, I wouldn't have even thought of copulating with a female of different species."

"Different species my tails! You say that now, but you sure as hell didn't look uninterested as you took me like animals! What if the kids saw us, huh?!"

"It would be a necessary lesson for them if we still wish for the coming of Amakusa M6."

"Oh. That's right. They're just way too stiff! We need to show them some examples from time to time. Still, it was so embarrassing to do it in the open..."

"If it bothers you that much, why didn't you stop me?"

"W- Well, I was in heat! It was only natural, you know."

"That's a relief then."

"What?!"

"It seems like I did not force myself on you. So there's no harm done."

"B- But... What if I get pregnant, Bakarna?"

"That's impossible. As Servants, we are not truly living beings. There's also the fact that we're of different species."

"Would you just forget about it then? Are you gonna throw me away after using me once?!"

"Mistakes happen and we move on. We have responsibilities to our Masters."

"Mistake? Y- You're so cruel... You don't know what it feels like to be unwanted!"

If only she knew how wrong she was...

/

It was supposed to be a simple and relaxing day. Their long ordeal within the country had finally ended without further complications. Although there had been no satisfactory result, it was still quiet a relief that they didn't have to deal with the formidable Servants Unit any longer. It was time to move on with their quest. And as their leader, Shirou had intended it to be a day off so they could have a well deserved respite.

Everything went smoothly at first. They woke up early, left the camp, found a nice hotel, have breakfast together - And that was when his horrible luck kicked in.

As soon as he finished his meal, their oh so sweet Irisviel suddenly grabbed his collar. That got them everyone's attention in the restaurant immediately. People watched in anticipation and started to whisper. But the not as sweet as usual girl didn't seem to care of the commotion she made as she dragged him away with a choking hold on his collar. Everyone they passed along the way gave him a sympathetic look. And in return, he just smiled sheepishly because he really had no clue about what kind of sin he had committed lately to deserve this.

Perhaps she was still angry at him for being too hard on Sabrina? No. If she still was, she would have kicked him out of his own car the night before instead of snuggling close to him for warmth. So why?

The answer was still out of his reach even after he found himself being thrown into the room she shared with her Servant. The door was locked immediately as if to warn him about his impending doom. This was simply depressing. There on the floor, on his hands and knees, he could only wonder how far he had fallen from grace. He, the most formidable figure in the dark shadow of the Holy Church, had been reduced into this girl's... for the lack of a better word... _bitch_

Curiously, the girl in question was kinda surprised to see his depressed withering form on the floor as if she didn't remember that she was the one responsible for his predicament.

"What are you doing there, sensei? Stand up, will you? You look like a victim of domestic abuse."

"... Is that pretty much what you did to me?"

"Nonsense. Stop playing victim. It's disturbing. The image of my perfect Shirou is now tainted because of you."

"Is it my fault that I share the same identity with your imaginary boyfriend?"

"You're just jealous."

This cheeky girl... was not wrong. Her words really made him feel like a cheap projection of his own painting. It was so pathetic. But it seemed like she didn't do it on purpose this time. He could see it as he got up, the troubled look in her glossy eyes.

"What's the matter, Irisviel?"

"... There's something wrong between Caster and Lancer."

It was unnoticeable, but he actually stiffened at that.

"What do you mean? They seem fine to me."

"Really?" She looked at him in disbelief. "If they are fine, when I suddenly dragged you out, Caster would have praised me for being so aggressive, and Lancer would have claimed that it was time for Amakusa M6's conception or something!"

"Oh well, you should be glad then. We don't have to hear Caster's embarrassing innuendos and Lancer's disturbing expectation any longer."

"But I love hearing them!"

They fell quiet for a moment. The boy looked carefully at the girl's reddening face. He could almost see her inwardly berating herself for misspeaking. Yes, surely that was nothing but wrong choice of words. He just needed to confirm it.

"Come again?"

"Huh? I- I mean, I'm already too used to hearing them, you know... But that's not the point! Don't you find it strange that we haven't heard them bickering even once since we left the camp? Usually, Caster already screamed in frustration twice by the time we had breakfast."

"Maybe they're just tired after spending the night -"

He immediately shut his mouth, but it seemed to be too late.

The perceptive girl looked in suspicion at him trying to act oblivious all of a sudden. She frowned then before pushing him without warning. He fell back onto the bed in surprise, and she straddled him immediately.

"You know something."

"Uh... Irisviel?" He looked up at her awkwardly. "Don't you find this position uncomfortable?"

"No. I'm comfortable alright. You're the one uncomfortable because you keep something from me."

"... I wouldn't dare."

It irritated her that he thought he could fool her so easily. Losing patience, she once again took hold of his collar and pulled him closer until their faces nearly touched. It satisfied her then to see him gulped nervously, but it still wasn't enough to break his resolve. She needed to show a bit more dominance.

"You stupid lying priest. Tell me what it is!"

"It's better for you to not know..."

He really could be difficult sometimes. She honestly didn't plan to try her new trump card this soon, but it seemed like he just asked for it...

"Speak now or I'll kiss you."

"Alright! Alright!"

Well, that was effective... too effective in fact that she felt kinda offended that the idea of being kissed by her made him this panicked. Frustrated, she quickly pushed him back down, glaring at him.

"So?"

"It's nothing really. They were just, you know... doing adult things last night."

"Speak clearly! I'm not a child!"

"By the God, Irisviel! They fucked each other all night long near the campfire!"

In an instant, the poor boy looked horrified at his choice of words. He could literally feel an additional digit had been added to his sins account. Not so different from him, the girl also couldn't believe that he had it in him to say such crude things. Perhaps she had really pushed him too far... And for some reason, it was right here that she finally realized how compromising their position was. Her face instantly went red again, and it was soon followed by her palm once again meeting his face in a quick slap.

"Pervert!"

She got off him frantically before her body could betray her.

The pair returned to their table a few minutes later without creating that much commotion this time. They only received some curious glances along the way, thanks to the angry red mark on the boy's cheek. Strangely enough, however, their two companions made no comment about it.

Again, Shirou assumed his role as a leader and immediately assessed the situation. He knew Irisviel was right in her suspicion about their Servants, but he didn't think they should interfere for the time being. Of course, he didn't dare to say it outright here in front of her. She had become way too abusive lately. But if he tried to act oblivious again, he was sure she would throw him out to the street. Thus after thinking it through, he decided to speak up, not necessarily to address the issue, but to start a conversation that would at least make her take him seriously.

"I know this is supposed to be our day off, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk about -"

But this one did hurt. A foot had moved swiftly under the table to give his shin a hard kick. And the one responsible for this smiled innocently at him.

"There's no need to beat around the bush, sensei. Just say it already. We still have a serious _issue_ to address, remember?"

"Ah, thank you for the reminder, Irisviel. But I just want to give a bit of heads up that we are going to attend this year grand auction in Italy."

"The one Sister Marian mentioned? When? Will we meet her again?!"

The girl was clearly excited at the prospect of meeting her new friend again. On one hand, it was a good thing because it made her foul mood disappear for a bit. On the other hand, if he gave her a disappointing answer, the next kick would surely break his shin. Fortunately, he didn't have to disappoint her.

"Yes. The event is next week. And since Sister Marian's new working place is located in Rome, she should be able to help us."

That was just what she needed to hear. Squealing in delight, she turned toward her uncharacteristically quiet Servant.

"Isn't it great, Caster? You didn't get the chance to meet Sister Mari before, but I'm sure you'll like her. We would have a great time together, the three of us!"

"Oh? I- I can't wait, Iris!"

What a blatantly fake enthusiasm.

It dampened Irisviel's excitement. And it worried her sensei that her foul mood would make a return. Thankfully, his Servant noticed this, and decided to lend a bit of assistance by keeping the conversation going.

"If it's still in a week, what are we going to do in the meantime, Shirou?"

"Good question, Lancer." He smiled in relief. "I'm going home, and you all are coming with me."

At the mention of home, the girl's excitement seemed to build up again.

"We're going home? Oh good! I really miss my Shirou. It's been so long since I saw him..."

Shirou, the one in her presence, however, felt annoyed as usual at the mention of her imaginary boyfriend that just so happened to be his own painting. And this time, he took satisfaction in the fact that he was about to disappoint her.

"You seem to be mistaken, Irisviel. You wouldn't see your _Shirou_ anytime soon. We're not going back to Einzbern Castle. We're going to my home, my house."

"... You have a home?!"

For some reason, it unnerved him to see her this surprised.

"Why does it surprise you?"

"To be fair, you really look like a homeless person, sensei. I thought you only sleep from church to church..."

"... Well, you're wrong. I do have a home." He couldn't help feeling offended here. "What if I tell you that I live there with a wife and children too?"

That was such a thoughtless statement, he admitted. But out of all the reactions he expected to see, he didn't anticipated this at all. Her eyes became misty all of a sudden, and then a sniffle... For a reason he could not comprehend, she was about to cry. He looked around for help but was only met with a disapproving look from his Servant and a warning one from her Servant.

Like a protective big sister, Caster gently pulled her Master closer to her.

"Don't listen to him, Iris. Do you really believe someone like him could get himself a wife and children? Don't be silly, girl! For all we know, what he considers a house is just a bunch of cardboard boxes put together!"

She looked so sure of herself for some reason. Seeing this, Lancer looked about ready to give her a counter argument, thus instigating their usual bickering. But he surprisingly stopped himself at the last second. It was very unusual for him to back down from anything, but this time, he actually chose to drop it so they could return to the matter at hand.

"For what reason did you decide to return home, Shirou?"

"My house is near Rome. And it's not that far from where the auction is going to take place."

That actully made sense, but a certain girl still looked surprised.

"You mean, you're really not homeless, sensei?"

Slowly and carefully, her sensei looked back at her, and gave her his best fake smile.

"Yes, Irisviel. As a matter of fact, I am not homeless. Happy?"

/

Did Shirou really have a house? If he really did have one, what kind of house? Was it really just a bunch of cardboard boxes like Caster suspected? Or could it be that it was a real house?! And if he was really a stupid lying priest like Irisviel said, did he actually have a wife and children too?!

So many questions about Shirou and his house accompanied the group in their long journey to Italy. Along the way, the boy tried his best to silently endure the headache that came from hearing such bizarre assumptions about his poor home. The few times he couldn't resist letting out some kind of sarcastic response, their no longer so sweet Irisviel tried to kick him out of the moving car. To make it worse, their Servants were still not on speaking terms somehow, so there was no silly bickering to divert her attention from this subject.

He only sighed in relief once he finally parked his car in front of a small house located in the outskirt of a cheap residential district. It was evening so they could barely make out the details of the simple two story building. Not that there was anything noteworthy about it. It looked just as boring as the owner. And the rich lady of their group sighed in disappointment as she got out of the car.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Akane is actually worth more than this..."

Such a comment was unnecessary. Her Servant immediately scowled at her for that.

"Don't be rude, young lady! At least it's not a bunch of cardboard boxes."

"Well, forgive me for expecting a bit of classiness from the residence of the one named Shirou Tokisada Amakusa."

If he didn't know any better, the Shirou in her presence would've thought that she intentionally tried to get at him. Thankfully, he knew her and this particular quirk of hers more than well enough already.

"Well, forgive me for disappointing you, Irisviel. This is not the classy residence of your imaginary boyfriend. This is just the humble abode of Shirou Kotomine."

"Shirou who?"

"Eh? You haven't heard of my 'official' name before?"

The girl shook her head, and it was just way too cute that all his annoyance to her disappeared instantly. He chuckled lightly as he walked past her. But before he could make another step to his house, a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Looking back in puzzlement, he was met with his Servant's serious stare.

"What is it, Lancer?"

"Someone is in there."

It was true. The simple fact that the lights in the house were on give it away easily. But the owner wasn't bothered at all by this because there was only one other person beside him who could gain access into it. That still didn't change the fact that a certain girl was absolutely bothered. Her hand quickly took hold of his abused collar as she gave him a death glare.

"I swear if it's your _wife_..."

Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed form within the small house. The front door was thrown open soon later, and a somewhat burly old priest stepped out with a huge grin.

"Shirou-kun! Okaeri!"

"Tadaima, otousan."

"I thought you're still in Middle East." It was then that he noticed the others. "Oh, you bring friends home this time? Come on in. Come on in, everyone. I was just about to prepare dinner!"

They all eagerly followed the older Kotomine inside then, except for a certain rich lady.

Irisviel walked in slowly after the rest disappeared into the house. In her mind, she was still trying to take in the fact that she might as well just met her future father in law. Unfortunately, it seemed like she didn't make a good first impression of herself, threatening his son and all. She was aware of her tendency to be a bit abusive lately, but she just couldn't help it. It just frustrated her greatly that someone as smart as her sensei could be so dense.

Later, after some small introductions, everyone gathered in the kitchen as they waited for dinner to be prepared. The old priest paid little to no mind that two of the guests were Servants. He chatted happily about all sort of things as he cooked. And as it turned out, the two Kotomines didn't live together. The father only stayed at his foster son's house each time he had to visit Vatican.

The dinner was ready soon later. And aside from the suspicious tension between the pair of Servants, it was a merry occasion. The dishes were not familiar to Irisviel, but she enjoyed them all, and made sure to show her approval.

"This is so good, Mister Risei! You're truly an amazing cook."

"Oh! Thank you, Lady Irisviel! But trust me, you would not give me such compliment once you taste Shirou-kun's own cooking!"

The girl looked surprised for a moment before looking at the boy sitting across from her with a scowl.

"How come you've never cooked for me, sensei?"

"Well, there were already plenty of good cooks in your castle so why should I bother to cook specially for you?"

Bad answer.

He immediately held back a grimace as he felt an empowered kick to the shin. No one was aware of his misfortune, but his foster father at least noticed that his answer was far from satisfactory to the young lady, and decided to help making her understand.

"Don't let it get to you, Lady Irisviel. I only know about Shirou-kun's cooking only because I occasionally stay here for business. To my knowledge, he has ever specially cooked for his Lumina-chan only, but it was a long time ago."

Unbeknownst to the caring father, instead of helping, he might as well just sent his poor son to an early grave with that bit of information...

Shirou went pale. There was an audible crack. A satisfied smirk graced Irisviel's lips. A moment later, he quietly excused himself before limping away from the dining table and out of the kitchen. It seemed like his leg had finally broken...

Meanwhile, the father could only watch all of this with concern. There was a lot of questions in his mind about the nature of his boy and this girl's relationship. His memory of the Third Holy Grail War was still clear enough for him to easily notice the uncanny resemblance between this Einzbern lady and the one before her. It was not his place to pry, he knew that very well, but he supposed there was no harm for an elderly like him to be a bit curious.

"Please pardon me if I may be too blunt, Lady Irisviel. You see, I just couldn't help but notice that you seem to be very close with Shirou-kun..."

The lady in question blushed immediately. She opened her mouth a few times only to close it again abruptly in embarrassment. After a few minutes of awkward silence, her Servant decided that it was enough.

"Iris is hopelessly in love with him!"

"Caster!"

"What? If you don't want to admit it to your Shirou for some silly reasons, we could at least tell his dad. Who knows, maybe ojisan can help. Right, ojisan?"

Honestly, old Risei didn't know what to say. He was really happy that his foster son was given a chance for love again after so long. But he was also afraid that the boy would simply refuse to take this chance. And there was nothing he could do about it. Despite their legal status as family, he had already accepted long ago that he could never truly reach out to the living Heroic Spirit. It saddened him greatly.

"Shirou-kun is such a good boy. He always respects me, even before I became his foster father, even though he doesn't have any reason to. In fact, it should be the other way around. Despite all the controversy surrounding his tragic tale, he has always been a true hero to me. For someone like him to regard me as father is really the greatest honor in my life. I couldn't possibly ask more from him, so please forgive me..."

The guests looked at him silently for a moment. They seemed to understand, well except for a certain female Servant who couldn't take no for an answer.

"But ojisan! You don't understand! That stupid son of yours might not be as bad as he looks, but he's way too dense! I can't count the number of times he has hurt Iris' feelings with his cluelessness! It also doesn't help that this stubborn girl insists to keep it a secret from him!"

She was too loud, loud enough for Lancer to temporarily set aside the fact that they were not on speaking terms.

"It would be a secret no longer if you keep shouting unnecessarily, Caster."

Here it was.

Irisviel waited in anticipation and of course excitement for the classic bickering between the two Servants to finally start again. Seriously, she missed it so much! If they were lucky, they'd get to hear Caster's frustrated scream too at the end of it. To her disappointment, however, her Servant only stared at the other Servant bitterly before looking away. And it worried her.

A terribly awkward silence ensued. The old priest didn't know what to do. He was just too old for this. It was such a relief to him then when his son returned, no longer limping thankfully.

"Shirou-kun, you left so abruptly. Is your leg okay?"

"It's fine now. But I swear, it felt like being kicked on the shin by a horse."

Huge mistake.

An eating knife suddenly flew past his face before embedding into the wall behind him. And the young lady who just lost her knife looked at him innocently.

"Oh! That sounds awful. What kind of _horse_ was it, sensei?"

"The kind I'd love to ride to death."

"... Come again?"

"I mean, the most beautiful kind."

Watching this personal exchange between the pair silently, old Risei felt a shiver ran down his spine. He had put two and two together, and finally understood what had actually happened. To say that he was surprised would be a real understatement. He knew well enough how terrifying his foster son actually was. No one, not even his own vicious son dared to mess with him. So to see this dainty young lady challenge him in such a manner was really shocking... He really should divert their attention elsewhere before he got a heart attack.

"Ah, Shirou-kun? I figure our guest would be tired after long travel. Perhaps it's time to talk about sleeping arrangement? I also want to make sure that favorite couch of mine in the living room is still reserved for me, you know."

"Of course, otousan. Now let's see. The spare room should be for Lancer. Caster and Irisviel can stay in my room since it's larger."

No one seemed to have a problem with that, except for a certain lady...

"Y- Your room, sensei?" Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You invite both me and Caster to your room?!"

"Sure thing. The bed is not that good, definitely not good enough for a lady like you, but it's big enough to accommodate two girls at least... If it's really unacceptable to you, though, I'm sure there's something I can do to please you."

Wrong answer?

Silently, the lady in question stood up. Her hands for some strange reason grabbed her chair tightly. Then without warning, she jumped over the table, and came after him with every intention to smash his head with the wooden chair. He evaded easily enough, but she didn't seem to be the least bit deterred as she chased him to the living room. This time, she couldn't stay silent any longer.

"Go die, you dirty priest!"

It was just a silly misunderstanding, the others realized this quickly enough, but they didn't dare to interfere. And in Caster's case, she was in fact proud of her Master for not holding back all the hurt and and frustration anymore.

"Go Iris! Kill him already so his heartless Servant would die too! Men are stupid! He's poor, anyway."

The aforementioned heartless Servant frowned slightly at that, but he supposed it wouldn't help his Master's predicament if he responded to the taunt. Not that he could offer any help to begin with. He could only close his eyes as the chair once again missed the boy and hit a small cabinet instead.

Everything stopped for a moment at the sound of glass shattering.

The angry girl paused suddenly as she noticed that she had accidentally knocked off a framed photo from the top of the cabinet. It was now on the floor with glass shards around it. Feeling sorry at what she did, she decided to pick it up. Her chair was left forgotten momentarily. Then her anger disappeared as she took a look at the old photo.

There was her sensei uncharacteristically wearing a casual outfit. It was clearly his past self because his skin had not yet become tanned. He already had his 'blessed' hair, though, so it had to be not that far in the past. In his arms was an adorable blonde little girl no older than six. They appeared to be in the zoo, seeing that there were a few deer behind them. Most importantly, though, they both looked so happy...

Irisviel couldn't help smiling fondly as she easily recognized who this little glasses girl was.

"Sabrina... You really love her, don't you, sensei? You still do. What a silly _brother_."

"Well, she's always a _Chibi Saber_ to me."

He smiled fondly too, but all the while, tried to use this opportunity to make an escape as discreetly as possible. Too bad for him, though, his attempt to save his hide didn't go unnoticed by her. Her anger returned as fast as it disappeared.

/

At last.

He could finally relax. He had never thought he would ever feel the need to express such a thing in the safety of his own home, but he just did. The constant threat to his life had been temporarily suspended with the one responsible for it finally retired for the night. It was by no mean an easy task to convince the girl that he had no ulterior motive by 'inviting' her to his room. But perhaps it was his own fault for not mentioning beforehand that he would sleep in the living room along with his father. Still, it was rather overkill that he nearly got himself killed with a chair just for such a small mistake.

Where had he gone wrong?

It all started with that nasty slap to the face she gave him in their confrontation with Sabrina. Admittedly, he deserved it at that time. But from that point, it seemed like being abusive to him had become a new habit to her. Or perhaps it was the case of her dormant violent nature finally awakened... Either way, it was definitely a bad news for his health.

He shuddered. And it didn't go unnoticed by his foster father who had been patiently watching him spacing out for the last few minutes.

"Shirou-kun? It's your turn..."

Ah, of course. Almost instinctively, he moved his red bishop to eliminate a black rook.

Yes, there in the minimalist but cozy living room, they were playing chess. It was like a tradition for the two of them to play this game until late night each time one visited the other. Of course, the first rule was to ban the former Ruler-class Servant's Revelation skill. Not that it would matter much. The son had still always won every game easily enough despite the even playing field. It had never stopped the high spirited father from trying, though.

For old Risei, what mattered the most was he got the chance to bond with his foster son who usually opened up more as they enjoyed their games. This time hopefully would not be different because he was honestly concerned about what the boy had been up to.

"If you don't mind me asking, Shirou-kun... What made you decide to reestablish contact with the Einzberns after so long?"

"It's nothing to worry about, otousan. I've enjoyed my second chance more than enough, thanks to you. But after so long, you could say I become bored. Thus when Jubstacheit-dono contacted me that they needed my aid to recover the missing Grail, I just thought... why not?"

Oh well... That was more than clear enough answer. As usual, Shirou looked completely honest, but his foster father knew that one couldn't be so sure when dealing with him. Nevertheless, he knew better than to question him. There were another matter that piqued his curiosity anyhow.

"Ah, I see." He smiled softly and somewhat knowingly. "I thought it was because of Lady Irisviel..."

"Well, I agreed mostly because of her. She plays a major part in the search, considering her ability to sense the presence of a Greater Grail."

"Really? Interesting... I actually thought that she just reminds you of _her_ so... you know..."

"She does remind me of _her_. I will not deny it. I always see _her_ in Irisviel every time I look at her."

The admission said enough.

Risei had known well enough that Shirou loved his Master with all of his being from the few times he met the pair in the past. It was such a tragic love story. But he honestly thought the boy had moved on after so long. Now he was afraid that his son was playing a game without knowing how serious the risk actually was. However, there was one thing he had to confirm first before he drew any conclusions.

"Does she know this? I mean, her resemblance with the one before her..."

"No. And it should stay that way. I will not let her think that she's just a _shadow of a ghost_. I also have no intention to get any closer to her than I already am."

This would not end well.

The father knew that his foster son had a good intention, but keeping the truth could potentially result in an even higher risk. He had to open the boy's eyes before it was too late.

"But Shirou-kun... She seems really fond of you."

"... She just broke my leg, and tried to kill me."

"Right... But surely it was only because of some misunderstandings and jealousy. It is understandable for someone so young to be somewhat immature."

"Don't let her silliness fool you, otousan. It's true that she's infatuated badly with a grand image she has of Shirou Amakusa. But her possessiveness of this Shirou Kotomine is only because he is her stupid sensei. Nothing more."

This was just hopeless.

The old priest sighed helplessly. Perhaps the female Servant was right earlier when she claimed that his boy was so dense after all. He was really tempted to just say it outright how wrong Shirou was, but he had no right to give away Irisviel's secret. Thus all he could do was hope that the young lady would eventually find the courage to tell the boy herself, again before it was too late.

The game continued in silence. It was obvious that both Kotomines had their minds mostly elsewhere. The father more so was still unsettled by the son's recent decisions. Ultimately, he couldn't help but worry about one thing in particular.

"The next Holy Grail War is all but confirmed then. Surely, it's only a matter of time before the Grail is finally discovered now that you've taken this matter into your own hands."

"So it seems."

"With you having summoned a great Servant already, is it safe to assume that you intend to participate, Shirou-kun?"

"It is."

Of course. It was foolish to wish otherwise, but still...

"You know, as a father I couldn't help but worry. Deep down, I always wish that you could move on and have a happy life, a life with no regret..."

"And I thank you for that, otousan. I wish I could say that I've tried. I wouldn't lie to you anymore, however. I still wish for a closure. My second chance of life began through a Holy Grail War, thus it's only proper that it would also end through one."

"But Shirou-kun... It's different now, don't you think? God has given _her_ back to you in a sense. It is fate. So would you please -"

"Checkmate."

Indeed.

The same red bishop from earlier was ready to end the black king that really had no hope left. The game ended. So did their talk about this matter. The father could do nothing but oblige because he could see well enough that it was the son's gentle warning to not question him any further.

/

Ominous winds blew through the city of Trifas, Transylvania. It was as if the people were being warned of the bleak fate that would befall them. In spite of that, the iconic large castle upon a small hill of the area still stood strong. And deep within this Fortress of Millennia, a Grand Magus paid no mind to the whispers of fate as he focused all his attention on the magnificent form of a miraculous artifact before him.

The original Greater Grail.

It was frustrating that even after decades, he was still unable to fully attune it with Trifas leylines despite the vast knowledge he had on magecrafts. If he could help it, he would dedicate all of his waking hours for this. Alas, he still had to maintain an amiable relationship with the Mage's Association if he didn't wish to put this lifelong ambition of his at risk.

It didn't help that his misstep in letting out information regarding the Grail Wars ritual had resulted in the dawn of an era where Servants started being used as weapons. To protect his ambition from this risk, he had deemed it most necessary to summon formidable Servants of his own much earlier than planned. At the very least, he had made the right choice because those two Servants ended up to be even more than worthy of his respect.

One of them, the Lancer-class who had been referred as lord by his own Master entered the chamber just then with an aura of sovereignty.

"Darnic. It has come to my attention that there are reports of great battles between Servants in the German lands recently."

The Magus turned around at that and gave the Servant a respectful bow.

"Ah. Those battles were between the nation's own Servants Unit and a group sent by the Einzberns to search for _their_ missing Grail. There is no need to worry, however, my lord. I've already prepared a pawn that would lure them to early demise."

"Good. I trust your judgment, but to make sure, send Caster as well to supervise."

"As you wish, my lord."

* * *

 **Shirou's red and black chess pieces here are small tributes to Fate/Apocrypha's Red and Black Factions.**

 **This chapter marks the start of a new sub-arc with Darnic finally made an appearance. Shirou would be a scary schemer again, though he wouldn't be that much scary anymore** ** **perhaps** , seeing that he had become Iri's _bitch_...**

 **Now I want to apologize to everyone who wishes to see Lancer/Caster's usual bickering. I'm afraid we would not see any more of it for a while since they are not on speaking terms. It's just necessary for the development of their relationship.**


	11. shopping!

**Just like before, since I also don't live in Italy, I wouldn't go into details about the locations here.**

 **Warning: a naughty fox lady is such a bad influence...**

 **11**

* * *

Curse that poor brat.

It was nearly dawn, and Caster had barely gotten any sleep throughout the night.

Why?

Of course because he was actually serious when he said that he was basically too cheap to afford a better bed than this. It was unbelievable that he had the heart to make her delicate lady of a Master sleep in this pathetic excuse of a bed. Just like the rest of the house, it was as stiff, dusty, and, dull as the owner. But worst of all, the cheap thing smelled just like the damn boy! It also didn't help that the girl sleeping beside her didn't seem to think it was a bad thing!

Clearly, the silly little lady enjoyed going to sleep with the strong scent of her beloved all around her too much that the poor state of the bed didn't seem to matter to her. She had fallen asleep easily with a content smile on her face, and hadn't woken up even once ever since. In fact, she seemed to have been having a pleasant dream about him from the way she uttered his name from time to time in her sleep. Just like this...

"Sensei... mm..."

Wait a sec. That sounded kind of wrong to her ears. Her eyes widened then when she felt the sleeping girl pressing herself closer to her. Then one of those dainty hands soon began to grope her body. She stiffened at that, and looked in alarm at the girl who let out another moan...

"mmh... Shirou... please... mmh... more... Sen- sei!"

That one was enough to make the Servant sat up with a jolt.

Oh dear... her innocent Master... their sweet Irisviel... was having... a dirty dream?!

How could this happen?!

Where had she gone wrong in 'raising' her?!

Surprisingly, Caster wasn't ready for this. It conveniently didn't cross her mind that she had been her innocent Master's worst influence in almost every subject. So while she tried to wake the girl up, in that silly mind of hers, she was busy preparing all kind of scoldings. And soon enough, just as that familiar pair of pretty maroon eyes opened sleepily, she was ready to lash out.

"What were you doing, young lady?"

"H- Huh?"

"Don't huh me, girl! Tell me what you were dreaming about!"

At first, Irisviel was kinda irritated to see her Servant's overly dramatic behavior. It was still way too early for this! But as she rose up as well, she began to remember bit by bit the oh so pleasant dream she was woken up from. And her face went red instantly.

"Yes... dream. It was just... I- I was dreaming about... having a fun time with... Akane. Y- You know... driving?"

"Uh-huh... Then why did I hear you moaning her stupid owner's name?"

"He was there too! Do you expect sensei to just let me drive alone?"

That was surprisingly a nice little excuse.

Caster sighed tiredly. Her Master had gotten better at lying, but it was still way too soon for such a young girl to hope to fool her. Still, she decided not to ask further about the silly dream so they could talk about the more important matter. It was about time really.

"Listen, Iris. Can't you just give up on him? Even if by some miracle he stopped being so dense, I still don't think he's good enough for you. Just look at this bed, girl! Even though he just needs to make money for himself, the poor brat could only afford something this cheap. I really doubt he could ever provide for a high-class lady like you. Can you see the problem now?"

"No. You're just trying to find a problem when there is none to begin with just so you could get your mind off your own problem."

This cheeky girl...

Caster was about to teach her a lesson to not be such an ungrateful little bitch, but she stopped short. Because deep down, she knew that her dear Master only pointed out the truth. She had been moody and overly critical particularly toward their leader because if she directed her irritation toward him, it helped her forget the real anger that she had for his Servant. And now she realized that she was bothering her Master for the same reason.

"You're right... I'm sorry for waking you up, Iris."

"Caster... Can you please tell me what's bothering you? I know I have little to no experience in... anything. And I know it's kind of selfish of me, but it would make me feel better if I at least have an idea of it."

Honestly, the Servant didn't like to share her fear and insecurities with others, but as she looked at her Master's sincere look, she just couldn't possibly say no.

"It's just me being silly perhaps, but a particular talk with your oniichan has reminded me of how sad it is to not have somewhere or someone to belong..."

"What are you talking about? You belong to - No, that doesn't sound right. You belong with us, Caster. I can't see a life or future without you in it."

"Awww, you're just way too sweet! If only I were more into girls, I would've claimed you for myself for sure! But really, look at you! You're so irresistible, Iris! Here, let me have a taste."

With that, Caster leaned forward until her lips boldly captured her Master's... The innocent girl was too shocked to make any response. Here in her beloved's bed, she sat paralyzed as her Servant savored her soft lips carelessly. It was not until the naughty woman pulled away with a satisfied grin that she finally snapped out of her trance.

"Caster!? How could you? You just stole my first kiss..."

"And I would do the same for the second one, the third one, all the rest really, if you don't hurry up and get your stupid Shirou to do it properly."

"You'd better not tell this to him or anyone for that matter!"

But the warning only made the Servant smiled mischievously. This might be effective to give her insecure Master a much needed push, she thought.

"Oh sure. In one condition that you'll let me do it again at least until you do it with him."

"You perverted vixen... Are you trying to blackmail me?"

"Oh please! It wouldn't be so bad. Look at it this way, girl. You do it so you could learn to please him because I'll make you a great kisser by the end. Really, there's nothing wrong with it since I'm a female too."

"You don't understand! My chance is already slim to begin with. And now after your silly prank, I feel like I could never compete with _her_!"

 _her?_

Caster was puzzled. She had no idea who her Master meant by _her_... Nonetheless, she regretted that instead of helping, it seemed like she only made the girl sad. She beat herself inwardly over this. This girl accepted her so sincerely, but what she gave in return afterward was trouble.

"Forgive me, Iris..." Her ears drooped pitifully. "Please..."

"You don't need to ask. Of course I forgive you. You're like a sister to me after all. But please excuse me if I can't help feeling angry at you for a while."

"Thank you... I understand."

The two exchanged strained smiles for a moment before the Master quietly got up and left the room. The Servant could only watched her go sadly as she laid back down to the bed.

She really had ruined everything with her thoughtlessness. If she was being honest with herself, she knew it was also her thoughtlessness that had led her to lose the nice little thing she had with her fellow Servant. If only she didn't foolishly tempt his drunken self back then, perhaps she would've spent the morning bickering with him and eventually woken up everyone with her frustrated scream. So yes, it was all her fault that she was losing those precious things.

All she could do now was try to drown her misery by sleeping alone.

It felt like she had not been asleep that long, but by the time she woke up, she noticed that it was already late morning. She got off bed immediately, worried that her laziness would only displease her Master more. But then she realized that everyone had to be out already by now since they had planned to leave early in the morning to accompany the old ojisan to the airport.

Caster felt even more miserable as it dawned on her that she had been left behind. Alone.

Just as she was about to cry, however, she noticed a beautiful melody coming form the living room. It seemed to beckon her. She walked closer then until her eyes fell upon Lancer stoically sitting in the couch, watching some kind of music video on the small TV with his usual deadpan look.

Typical.

What surprised her, though, was the the kind of music he was 'enjoying' at that moment. It was not the typical hard beats of Heavy Metals that he seemed to favor. Seriously, this one was way too mellow for the Lancer she knew. Still, she couldn't deny how captivating the song was. Her eyes unconsciously closed as she too enjoyed the heartfelt melody. And it was only after it ended that she finally turned to him.

"What was that?"

"... still loving you."

Her heart stopped for a second.

"E- Excuse me?"

"... by the Scorpions."

"Oh."

And just like that, Caster turned around and left. She didn't want to make a fool of herself in front of him ever again. She intended to take her role as a Servant more seriously, just as he wanted. And that meant, she would keep her distance from him. A Servant was supposed to view other Servants as threat after all.

She let out a helpless sigh.

Her head hurt from thinking too much and too gloomy. It seemed like she didn't have enough brain capacity to brood. It was not in her character to do such a thing, anyway. Surely, it would only make her Master even more worried. She so didn't wish to trouble the girl again after what happened this morning. So she needed to get herself together before they saw each other again.

Perhaps it would be good for her to spend the day going out alone, enjoying the scenery... That way, hopefully she could be her normal self again by the time her Master returned.

/

The traffic light switched to green, and the powerful red BMW M5 accelerated in an instant, easily leaving the other cars in the dust. It was such an amazing sensation even for the one sitting in the front passenger seat. Oh how Irisviel wished she was the one behind the wheel... But fate was cruel. She could only glance bitterly and longingly at the driver seat that was 'tragically' occupied by none other than the car's owner.

"Sensei, give me another chance please..."

"No."

"I promise I would take responsibility if I hurt Akane. In fact, I could easily buy you a new Akane if accidentally kill this one!"

"You can't simply replace your first car, Irisviel. Identical does not necessarily mean the same."

What a lame excuse.

But she didn't let the negativity cloud her perception. This was only natural. Being around someone who was most likely the hardest person to read in the world, she had trained her mind to be exceptionally perceptive. As a result, she caught a different meaning to his words quickly enough.

 _You can't simply replace your first **love**..._

Understandably, she felt defeated at this. It was so unfair. Did she really not deserve a chance?

 _Identical does not necessarily mean the same._

Wait. That one still sounded the same. Did she fail to find a different meaning to those words? Or could it be that there was none to begin with?

For a reason she couldn't comprehend, however, she suddenly remembered Mister Risei's last words for her just before he boarded the airplane earlier. He said how happy he was to get to meet her once again... That was definitely suspicious because they couldn't have possibly met before. But at that time, she just rationalized it as a normal thing for an elderly to misspeak occasionally. So why did it seem to have some relevance now?

For the next few moments, Irisviel was quiet, lost in thought. Everyone else would assume that she was merely daydreaming, but not her sensei. He knew all too well this particular tendency of hers to overanalyze things. Usually, it was best not to bother her. It wouldn't end well for him, but he'd still try.

"Why so quiet, Irisviel?"

Just as expected, she instantly glared at him. But unexpectedly, a fairly sadistic glint replaced the annoyance in her eyes all of a sudden.

"I just got my first kiss this morning. From Caster."

Almost immediately, Akane drifted wildly as she took a sharp corner. The pained sound of her tires was like a complain to her owner for being too rough with her. But he just couldn't help it. He was simply shocked. None of his Eye of The Mind skills could save him from making a fool of his driving skills like this. Thankfully, his car didn't have to endure further abuse because he regained his cool in no time.

"Oh well." He chuckled slightly. "I'm sure it didn't mean anything. You know better than anyone how silly Caster could be."

"You're just jealous. She's a good kisser. Much better than you, I bet."

"Who knows. I've never had a kiss before."

"How sad."

The mocking was evidence in her voice. But in her mind, she squealed and rejoiced at this surprising discovery! Her reckless gambling by revealing her dirty little secret was worth it. She felt like her chance had gotten better than ever before.

He had never kissed _her_. And _she_ was already dead. Dead people could not kiss. So... _Ghost_ : 0 (permanently) Iri: 0 (still, but wouldn't be so for long!)

But her joy stopped abruptly as she caught a barely noticeable melancholy on his gaze. Then she felt so naive. All she had accomplished was make him long for _her_ even more. As a result, she had to endure an uncomfortable silence. Thankfully it didn't last for long because a few minutes later, they arrived at what appeared to be an outdoor cafe.

As soon as Akane neatly settled in the parking lot, Irisviel immediately got out of the car to look around the nice surroundings. But nothing caught her attention because her gaze soon found the pretty figure of a crimson-haired girl sitting alone at one of the more secluded tables.

"Sister Mari!"

" _Ghostbuster_ Iri!"

Well, that was quite weird.

Shirou always considered his protege as quiet a classy individual. He had no idea how she came out with such a ridiculous thing. It made him cringe for sure. But surprisingly enough, the one given the cringeworthy nickname didn't seem to mind at all. He could only watch patiently then as the two girls hugged each other in joy. It began to get on his nerves, however, when they still didn't separate after a minute.

"Is it necessary to be this overdramatic? You two have not seen each other only for a couple of weeks."

Wrong thing to say.

Slowly and menacingly, a pair of maroon eyes turned toward him, and pinned him with a death glare. It warned him to keep his opinion to himself or else...

The girl was pleased then to see him took a seat immediately like a good boy. And to make it fair, she finally separated with her friend who looked bewildered after seeing the unexpected development. She smiled smugly at this, but the smile soon turned into one of wonderment as she noticed what the older girl wore this time, a modest yet elegant beige dress instead of the black church attire.

"Sister Marian looks fabulous!"

"Why, thank you, Irisviel!"

"I wish sensei would wear something different once in a while. Then again, it wouldn't surprise me if he's also too cheap to afford some change of clothes."

"Be careful of what you wish for, Iri. Once Father Shirou sheds off his vestment, and decides to be a bit fashionable, even you wouldn't be able to stop the swarm of pretty ladies that would come after him."

Maroon eyes widened instantly. And the sister couldn't help giggling at seeing such an adorable alarmed look. But then she stopped abruptly when she caught a warm but disapproving look from a familiar pair of golden eyes.

A gentle reprimand.

Already all too familiar with her mentor's way of thinking, she quickly got her still surprised friend to sit before taking a seat herself. Then without further ado, she took out several folders from her bag and politely presented them to him. She never disappointed him. He could always trust her to gather all the information he required before he even asked for it. Thus he accepted with a smile, and started to look into them immediately.

A waitress came to take their orders, but he didn't seem to care, and it was the same when said orders arrived soon later.

What he found inside each folder met his expectation. They contained all he needed to know about the upcoming auction. Some was quite new too him since he had never bothered to pay attention to petty underground criminal activities before. One in particular was the fact that the event also involved Dead Apostles of higher status. He couldn't help but chuckle at this.

"The invitation is obviously too convenient, but I never thought those petty fiends are hoping to use this opportunity to deal with their _reaper_."

Somehow, the word snapped Irisviel out of her stupor.

"Reaper?"

"Well, Irisviel, once upon a time I crossed path with a particularly nasty Dead Apostle. I had no choice but to purge it without knowing that it was one of the Ancestors. As a result, their entire community view me as a threat."

As usual, he made the story seem too humble, but his protege decided to change it this time because the listener was a very special someone.

"From that point on, the legend of the 'Holy-Crossed Reaper' spread wide in the Dead Apostle society. They say that even their all powerful Ancestors cower in fear before his godly Baptism Rite!"

"That's not necesarily wrong, Sister Marian, but the way you described it makes it hard to relate the so-called reaper to me. In actuality, I'm just blessed with the skills that basically makes me their lethal antithesis."

The story somehow made Irisviel see him in a bit of new light, but something was bothering her.

"If you're that great and all, then how come you're still poor, sensei?"

That was such a low blow. Even then, her poor sensei tried not to give in to depression, and smiled at her, albeit with a grimace.

"At the end of the day, I'm still just a random priest, so forgive me if I'm not up to your standard financially, Irisviel."

She still gave him a strange look. There was nothing he he could do about it, though, so he just returned his attention to the papers.

After some more reading, he found it more and more unlikely that it was some Dead Apostle factions that tried to mess with him. Most likely, they were only being taken advantage of by some Magus with quite decent political skills. It was made even more obvious by the fact that recently, a fool like old Moratti out of nowhere had the mean to summon two Servants. There was a picture of one amidst the papers, and he couldn't help but chuckle again as he recognized the true identity easily enough.

"Moratti-san has really outdone himself this time, going as far as planning a greeting for this random priest with the Roman's very own Caesar."

Understandably, the one who had taken the picture couldn't believe that.

"... That was the Caesar?"

"It seems so. Good work, Sister Marian. How about the other Servant, though? I can't find their picture here."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Father Shirou. I couldn't figure out anything about them. They haven't been around old Moratti at all since I started the research."

"For a reason then. That one is the one we should be more cautious of."

And they both continued to discuss the upcoming event. Despite all the clear signs of danger, they could not rule out the possibility of finding what they were looking for there in the auction. It was the one occasion where most valuable secret treasures and artifacts from all across Europe would most likely appear after all. Thus, all things considered, it was really convenient.

Meanwhile, Irisviel felt kinda bored. What the two were talking about was important, but barely interested her if at all. She could only entertain herself with the straw of her watermelon juice. That was when she finally noticed the device on the table near her friend's bag.

"Sister Mari, is that a camera?"

"Oh? Yes. It is a digital camera. You want to take some pictures, Iri?"

"Yes, please!"

Suddenly, she remembered a certain old photograph in the living room. Then with a shy smile, she looked at the one who was still engrossed in his reading.

"Sensei... Take a picture together with me? Just like you did with Sabrina..."

"I'm busy, Irisviel. And don't compare yourself with Chibi Saber. You're not a child, are you?"

He could've just said no... She looked at him bitterly. But just as she was about to kick him, she got a better idea.

Her sensei was really busy, too busy that he was taken by surprise when a pair of dainty arms embraced his neck from behind lovingly. Then beautiful curtains of lustrous fair hair filled either side of his vision. And a comforting weight fell on top of his head as a delicate chin nestled upon the thick white tufts of his hair.

Seeing such a wondrously cute display, Sister Marian couldn't help squealing in delight.

"Wonderful pose, Iri!"

The flash of camera followed immediately as she happily took multiple shots of the pair.

It was indeed wonderful until the all too happy Irisviel unconsciously tightened her hold in sheer joy. As a result, her oblivious sensei thought that she was trying to strangle him. It wouldn't surprise him if this was her actual intention. He had no choice then but to overpower her and break her hold. This made her angry obviously, but he didn't give in.

"Stop bothering me! Go play with your friend or something."

"I'm not a child, stupid!"

"What do you prefer to do then? Shopping?"

"Fine! But we'll need to borrow Akane."

He should've seen that coming. With a sigh, he took out his car key, but instead of handing it to the girl just as she obviously hoped, he handed it to her flabbergasted friend.

"You're driving, Sister Marian. No question."

/

Shopping was... very interesting.

Irisviel had never gone to a shopping mall before. She didn't really know what to do, but it had been so fun going from store to store with Sister Marian. Money was no problem for her obviously. Even then, they got only a few bags in their hands, too busy having fun exploring and taking pictures together. And there was barely any break, not until their feet hurt.

Finally after what felt like hours, they both sat leisurely together on a bench with some snacks in their hands, chatting happily. At one point, the older girl remembered something that bugged her, and decided to bring it up.

"Say, Iri. Why did Father Shirou insist me to drive?"

At this, said girl couldn't help but scoff.

"He would permanently ban me from driving if he could help it just because I tend to get _a bit_ too excited while driving. He's afraid I would damage his car. I swear, sometimes it feels like he loves Akane more than me!"

"Really? I know he bought an M5 because it has four doors and more space while still having high performance. But I was sure he always wants an M6..."

"There will be **no** Amakusa M6! Never!"

It was so unexpected, at least to the sister who could only stare in bewilderement for a moment at the sudden outburst. She wasn't sure if her friend's face reddened from anger or embarrassment. She also had no clue what this 'Amakusa M6' supposed to mean...

"Sorry, Iri... I was talking about BMW M635CSi. Father Shirou's favorite sport coupe..."

Finally realizing the embarrassing misunderstanding, the silly girl blushed even harder. Just great. She had made a fool of herself in front of the one she secretly idolized. It could only get worse if she had to give an explanation about Amakusa M6. She needed to change the topic quickly before she got asked.

"Uh... Sister Mari knows sensei very well... I couldn't help wondering how you met him."

"Oh, it was years ago. There was a clueless teenage girl who wished to join the Order because when she was little, the orphanage she grew up in was saved by them from a Death Apostle attack."

"... Sister Marian was an orphan?"

"Mhm. And since I was just an awkward poor orphan, everyone in the headquarters laughed at my request. Except for a handsome young priest who just happened to be there... He gave me a warm smile before telling the Knight-Commander himself that they would change their minds in six months."

"He taught you..."

"He did. That means, I'm technically your senpai." She giggled a bit. "Anyway. True to his words, after six months I passed all the initiation tests flawlessly. And since then, I pledge my loyalty to him."

They were really similar indeed. Irisviel smiled fondly. They even shared the same most important person... Still, she couldn't help wondering how Sister Marian could know so much, considering how difficultly secretive her sensei was.

"So, in return, he shared all his secrets with Sister Mari?"

"Oh, no. That one happened when I confessed to him."

It was like being sprayed with cold water.

"Con... fessed?"

So they shared the same love interest too...

Understandably, Irisviel went pale. She was more than shocked, and didn't know what to feel. Thankfully, before she had any unwanted negative thinking, her dear friend was ready to explain.

"Please listen first, Iri..." The older girl smiled gently. "It was in the past. I just couldn't help it, you know. I was only fifteen back then. And the only thing such a green teenager knew when she had her first crush was to confess."

"I see..."

"But instead of giving me a direct answer, he surprisingly started to tell the tale of a Heroic Spirit named Amakusa Shirou Tokisada. All of it, including the brief and tragic love story. I managed to figure out that he was telling me about his own history. And it was then that I realized that I had no chance to begin with. I was heartbroken for sure, but still glad that he trusted me with his secrets. Really, he even trusted me to be smart enough to read such a vague rejection."

It ended up with a good-natured laugh. Irisviel couldn't help but laugh as well. She was really amazed by her new senpai's admirable ability to stay positive. If only she also shared that one trait too... Sadly it wasn't the case.

"If even someone as amazing as Sister Marian thought that she had no chance, there's no hope for me then..."

"That's where you're wrong, Irisviel. You're the one. You've got to be because I've become the biggest Shirou/Iri shipper!"

Again, they shared another laugh.

After a little more small talk, the two decided to continue their fun activity somewhere else. As they got back to the dim underground parking lot, however, strangely there seemed to be no one else but them. It was then that the older girl sensed incoming danger.

"Be ready, Irisviel. We're surrounded."

"Huh? But there's no one -"

Right then, five dark blurry figures rushed toward them from every direction, intending to catch them off guard. Thankfully, Irisviel had been taught well. She reacted immediately on instinct with her signature move. A ring of tall and jagged ice rose up at once around them right as their mysterious assailants got to a reaching distance, brutally piercing them all. Surprisingly, however, they quickly freed themselves before leaping back as if the nasty injuries they suffered didn't affect them. At this, she could only stare in bewilderment.

It was such a strange display indeed. But as a seasoned member of the Order of Templars, Sister Marian didn't even blink at this.

"That was marvelous, Iri! Unfortunately, only the Church's combat methods prove to be effective against those fiends."

"They're Dead Apostles?"

"Yes, and quite the strong ones, it seems. So I need you to provide me cover while I go on the offense. Are you okay with that?"

"Mhm, senpai."

They both giggled for a bit at that until the ice wall protecting them was suddenly broken down. Seeing this, they immediately dropped the various bags they carried as they prepared themselves.

The beautiful Templar Agent quickly produced three Black Keys in her right hand and two in her left before jumping high gracefully. This got all the attackers' attention. And the other girl used this distraction to slip away with a quick dash. As she did, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that all five of those familiar thin blades found each of their targets precisely.

Amazing...

Irisviel looked on in awe as the Death Apostles reeled back in pain. But they were not yet finished. So when she noticed that they were about to attack her friend who just landed on her feet, she sent forth a wind spell in their direction. The condensed air it created hit them hard. And as they stumbled, the Templar girl dashed forward to finish them off in a quick succession with a series of lethal and skillful moves. One by one, each one of them evaporated with a horrified cry as an additional Black Key lodged into their heart.

Just... wow...

Her senpai's moves really reminded her of her sensei. Unbelievably fast, precise, and deadly. But if Shirou appeared like a cold killing machine, Sister Marian somehow made herself look like a graceful dancer. Now after seeing this, Irisviel's admiration for the older girl was incomparable. It seemed like she had found a new most favorite person... And the previous one was surprisingly left forgotten for the moment.

Speaking of the devil, there was the sound of light hand clap out of nowhere before a familiar figure clad in red walked unhurriedly toward the two girls.

"Marvelous teamwork, ladies."

"Father Shirou!" The friendly one smiled. "I should've known that you've been watching over us."

"Stalker..."

The cheeky one's unkind remark effectively deflated his proud smile. That was really unnecessary honestly.

"Not a stalker, Irisviel... Just making sure you're safe."

"Doubtful. I'm doing well. Sister Marian and I make a wonderful team."

"True. You got me. I've expected from the start that we would be watched the soon we arrived in Rome. So I used the opportunity of you hanging out without me to see what they would do in my absence. And from what I've seen so far, I believe they're not after you in particular. Their objective seems to be merely to make me lose focus by threatening the ones close to me."

"Oh, what a gentleman you are, using fair maidens in such a way. Now in return, you have to come with us and carry our bags as we continue shopping."

Knowing better than to incite her wrath again, the poor boy had no choice but to comply with a sigh. And in that moment, he truly looked like the girl's faithful bitch as he obediently picked up all the dropped bags from the ground. It was pretty much depressing and simply pathetic. Even his loyal protege only offered him a sympathetic smile briefly before returning her attention to the surprisingly scary girl.

The two grinned at each other as their eyes met.

"On to the next mall, Iri!"

"Let's go!"

/

Fate was such a silly thing sometimes. Barely a minute after the three left, a certain Servant obliviously wandered into the very same building her Master had been in for quite a while shopping with her friend.

Being only by herself once in a while was not as bad as Caster first thought. She managed to regain her spirit bit by bit as she explored the wondrous city for the last few hours. It was also surprisingly good to blend herself with strangers. The only thing she regretted was not being able to catch anyone's eyes. She loved to stand out and be in the center of attention, but it was such an impossible feat while wearing her usual beanie and goddamn trench-coat!

The fate was not silly anymore. It was downright mean for letting her exotic beauty be tarnished in such a way!

She let out a sigh then as she looked at people walking by around her without sparing her a single glance. It made her miss her companions already, even the stupid guys. But she shook her head as she continued walking.

A distraction was sorely needed.

Without thinking, she entered the nearest shop. It looked to be some kind of watch store, she realized then as she looked around. She didn't particularly care about watches, but this would do just fine. So for the next few moments, she busied herself looking at various products on display.

It worked.

She began to feel carefree again. At some point, a certain melody even crossed her thought, and she began to sing. A bit out of tune, of course.

"If we'd go again.. La la la from the start... I would la la la.. La la la la our love... La la la your pride, la la la La la la la.. You should give me a chance... This can't be the end... I'm still loving you... I'm still loving you, I need your love.. I'm still loving youuu!"

"And who is this lucky person you're singing of, madam?"

At hearing the sudden unfamiliar baritone, the silly woman jumped in surprise before turning around. Her face instantly turned red from embarrassment, and also at seeing the handsome man before her...

"It was just - I- I mean... There's this one guy I kinda like... But not really. He's a big jerk! Heartless, I tell you!"

"Ah, I'm sorry to hear that. That kind of foul male doesn't deserve your affection. Just forget about him. Clearly, he doesn't know in the slightest how to treat such a lovely lady like you."

"You're right..." She frowned bitterly. "Let him rot with his stupid pride!"

"Absolutely, if he deserves it. Nevertheless, I'm willing to listen if you're still not feeling better yet. So, how about we talk more while having some lunch?"

It was such a surprise. She was finally noticed... by such a pleasant man nonetheless!

In a bit of bewilderment, Caster looked at his face carefully. It was then that she noticed how aristocratically handsome he was. For some reason, though, his features surprisingly reminded her of the man she was bitter with. The two were a contrast complexion wise. This stranger was all dark whilst the one she got stuck with was fully pale. But the lines of their faces really resembled each other...

No matter.

She was here to forget, wasn't she? And this handsome stranger had so kindly offered her the mean to. So she gave him the prettiest smile she got.

"I would love to! I'm Tama, by the way."

"Goodness, how rude of me not to introduce myself first. Pardon me, Miss Tama. You may call me _Arjun_."

* * *

 **Still loving you... Oh, that song is simply legendary.**

 **Now. At last, after 10+ chapters, we finally got our first kiss in this story. Yay? Haha, I'm so sorry if it's quite a silly one.**

 **Meanwhile, our still all too chill Lancer would see some surprise, seeing that he just got a formidable new rival. And he might get even more surprised to see who it is. Oh, who am I kidding? This is Karna we're talking about. One does not simply surprise the mighty Karna.**


	12. reflections

**The chapter where the cause of Irisviel's 'interesting' new personality is finally revealed. By none other than poor Shirou, of course.**

 **12**

* * *

Amakusa Shirou really didn't understand women. Even with his beloved Master, he understood her as a person, not as a woman.

He really respected them. Unlike most men, he had almost never looked at them inappropriately. In fact, no dirty thoughts about them had ever crossed his mind despite his unfortunately permanent teenage boy hormones that came with his preserved youth. Even as a schemer, a mastermind, a villain basically, he always thought twice when it came to manipulating them, and tried to avoid doing so if he could help it. But perhaps, the respectable distance he had always maintained with them was the very reason he had very little understanding about them.

It was strange.

Normally, one needed to understand first before they could give out their respect, but in this case, it just came naturally. Thus all his life, he had never felt the need to understand them. Until recently...

For long gruesome hours, he had been accompanying the girls shopping until evening. Now back in his house, he could only stare in wonder as Irisviel happily introduced Sister Marian to the others. And somehow, her obviously idolized friend and her Servant in particular got along more than well enough instantly as if they were long lost friends or something. It made him feel even more clueless about women. Still, he couldn't help but smile warmly as he saw the gleeful smile that made her face flush and glow brilliantly.

His smile abruptly turned into a grimace then as the girl suddenly looked at him with a frown.

"What are you doing, sensei? Why do you just stand there? Go make dinner!"

This girl... was hands down the hardest one to understand.

Maybe she was actually one of those so called tsundere or something? Scratch that. He almost couldn't remember the last time she was being nice to him. Even a tsundere wouldn't go that far. Besides, her abusive behavior was way too real to be considered the case of tsundere.

At times like this, he couldn't help but compare her with her past self.

His Master had been mean to him sometimes too, but it was only because she had difficulty dealing with emotions in general. This one, however, seemed to behave in such a way simply out of sheer frustration over silly things. It somewhat made sense, he supposed. As the more advanced homunculus, it was to be expected that she would be more complex personality wise. Even so, how could two persons who were basically the same soul could be so different?

Then he remembered that the girl had not always been like this. The first time he met her, he was having a hard time finding any differences. This made him think that perhaps as a homunculus, even though she started her life technically as an adult, her personality still took time to develop. And just like in the case of a child, how it developed was influenced by her environment and in particular... the people around her.

It all made sense now.

Caster was clearly responsible for her snarkiness. Whilst Lancer was definitely responsible for her ever increasing bluntness. Of course, the girl would naturally imitate them. She obviously saw them as her dotting oneechan and oniichan after all. He on the other hand, she didn't bother to do the same with him clearly because unlike those two, he was simply unimpressive and pretty much boring. It was depressing, but he preferred it this way. He knew he would finally lose his sanity if he ever saw her showing any sign of copying him.

Still, all in all he felt satisfied now that he managed to understand her at last... as a person. He was still pretty much clueless when it came to her as a woman.

Perhaps it was time to give up.

It would be easier just to assume that she was being unfair lately simply because she was in her period or something. Not that he had any experience with women in such condition. And he sure as hell would not risk his life, as worthless as it was, by asking her in person for confirmation. It would be better to just accept that there was nothing he could do about it.

 _Go make dinner!_

And do as she commanded.

He supposed it was only fair since the rich girl had paid for the groceries they bought earlier. For the record, he could've paid them himself. He wasn't as poor as she seemed to believe, not to mention he had been given free access to most of her family's bank accounts, even though in this case, he refused to use such privilege for personal gains and mundane things. Still, it wasn't so bad.

She could've worded her request better, but he had already been used to it by now.

He quite enjoyed cooking, anyway. It was a rather relaxing activity. And it turned even better when his Servant decided to join him as he went to the kitchen. His kind offer to help was honestly appreciated. Thus they soon fell into comfortable silence as they worked together again, this time in the kitchen.

The silence was only broken when female voices followed them there a few minutes later.

"Iris, Marin, look! He's maybe bad at making money, but at least good for doing house chores!"

"Mhm. Sensei would really make a good housewife."

"Ooh? This is gold! When are you going to propose, Iri?"

At once, the kitchen/dining room was filled with gleeful laughter of the three females.

It was like a nightmare.

Here, Shirou finally realized in a hard way that women could easily become a force to be reckoned with when they got together. And he soon found himself powerless against their combined powers. In the end, there was nothing left of his pride as a man. The only reason he didn't break down right here and then was Lancer's hand of support on his trembling shoulder.

Thankfully, the three seemed to move on to different subject as they took seats at the dining table.

"Hmm, Miss Caster sure looks exceptionally happy. Don't you think so, Iri?"

"Yes, Sister Mari. So different than she was this morning. Suspicious. So what is it, Caster?"

"Took you girls long enough to notice! I've been itching to proudly reveal that I've finally got myself a boyfriend!"

Silence took over then, the first time since the three of them got here. It lasted only for a moment, though. Thanks to his protege's excellent social skills.

"Oh! Congratulation, Miss Caster!"

"Thank you, Marin!"

"..."

"Well, Iris? Where's your congratulation?! I'm waiting here!"

"Why should I congratulate you for whoring yourself?"

Way too blunt... A hand slammed to the table loudly in response, followed by a somewhat animalistic growl.

"Watch your pretty little mouth, young lady!"

Again, the silence returned. With a hell lot more tension. And once again, the mature one of the three thankfully made an attempt to break it.

"So... Anyone has a plan for the next day?"

"... I got asked for a date, Marin. But I'm not sure about it... I don't feel so confident you know, what with me having tails and all..."

"Hmm, perhaps I could help you with that, Miss Caster."

"You mean..."

"I think I know some spells to conceal them. It might easily break if you use your power, though."

"Ooh, thank you! You're so helpful, Marin! Unlike a certain whiny little lady..."

ALERT! ALERT!

It was to be expected that the lady in question would take the bait and lash out at her 'rebelling' Servant. His poor house would most likely suffer a great deal of damage if she went violent. But as he quickly turned around in worry, he was surprised to see that she did nothing. Her bangs hid her face from his view as she looked down in silence.

It was true that he was still having a hard time trying to understand this girl, but he knew when she was sad. And each time it happened, he wanted nothing more than to cheer her up.

Hopefully a good warm meal would help.

/

Watching television had been some sort of new hobby to Lancer. The little square device in the living room nearly fascinated him as much as cars and heavy metals, though mostly because he could watch both of those things on it...

Well, he just couldn't help it. Both were really enjoyable and 'relaxing' to him. Unfortunately, this late at night he could find none of those. No races. No concerts. Only news, dramas, and... what was this?

Some kind of animals show?

He decided to give it a try. Surely, watching animals running around in the wild would be more interesting than watching random people talking nonsense. Most humans, except for the ones he was closely acquainted with, racing drivers, and metal band members, bored him anyway. And the show itself seemed to be quite fascinating indeed, still couldn't compare to races or concerts, but not that far off.

Minutes went by, and he only looked away from the screen when he noticed a familiar adorable face peeking from behind a wall.

"It's close to midnight." He gave a disapproving look. "Why are you still awake, Lady Irisviel?"

Having been found out, the lady in question sheepishly left her 'hiding place' before sitting down beside the Servant in the couch.

"Sensei has not yet returned. I thought he was only going to drive Sister Marian home... Did he mention anything to you, Lancer?"

"... He did tell me that he planned to get rid of some would be nuisances overnight."

"You mean..."

"... He intended to do some killings if necessary... Assassination, as they put it."

"Oh."

That wasn't the reaction Lancer expected. He was rather hesitant to reveal his Master's plan to her, fully anticipating that she would be repulsed or even scared by it. But unexpectedly, she didn't seem to pay much mind to it.

Simply dropping the subject, the girl turned her attention to the TV, and immediately looked in wonderment at a particular animal on the screen.

"Ooh, that puppy really looks like sensei!" She cooed innocently. "Sooo cute!"

The aforementioned puppy was in fact a wild lone wolf with fluffy white fur... pretty much like her sensei indeed. Soon after she pointed that out, however, the calm benign-looking thing suddenly rushed forward to catch an unsuspecting hare. Blood lightly painted the snowy ground then as it ruthlessly devoured its helpless prey. It didn't take long. As soon as it was done, the wolf returned to its previous place under a tree, looking all harmless and innocent again.

"Yeah..." Irisviel sighed in amusement. "Just like sensei, alright."

And the Servant beside her looked at her in wonderment.

"... Are you not the least bit scared of Shirou?"

"Should I?" She raised an eyebrow. "Sensei is hopeless. Really, I doubt he would dare say no to me even if I ask him to lick my foot."

This fair young lady... was too blunt. It was quite unbecoming for someone of her standing in Lancer's opinion. However, he would be a real hypocrite if he tried to chide her. He knew that very well, so he could do nothing but let it slide.

"True. You are truly a special case then. To me personally, he's the only one who has ever managed to make me experience the closest thing to fear. And he did it pretty much unconsciously."

"Huh?! No way! That just makes no sense. Surely, Lancer could beat him up easily with just a pinkie."

"... You give him too little credit."

That got her thinking. Really thinking.

If she was being honest with herself, she knew that what Lancer said was true. She truly had been ignorant.

With how hopeless her sensei seemed to be often times, it was easy to overlook how impressive he truly was. She couldn't even begin to imagine how he had managed to endure all the hell that fate had put him through without breaking down even once. Even more, he also stayed true to his goodwill and belief until the end. What impressed her the most, however, was something that she doubted he was even aware of.

His ability to give hope.

Sabrina... Sister Marian... And Irisviel herself... All had been given hope and saved from their fates by him...

In her case, she knew very well that he had done much more for her. He always took good care of her, going out of his way to make her feel better when she was sad. That evening after her silly fight with her Servant was no different. She smiled at this little memory.

"Earlier, sensei made a special dish just for me. It was very good, so very good and yummy! It made me feel... special."

That was good to hear, and Lancer found himself nodding in approval.

"Because you are indeed very special to him."

"But I didn't even thank him..."

"Seeing you smile is more than enough to him."

"Why does he care about me so?"

"Because to him, there's nothing more important than you. Not his life. Not his dreams. Not his ideals. Not even the world."

For some reason, that last answer elicited a different reaction despite being fully accurate.

"Nice try, Lancer." She chuckled and shook her head lightly. "Everyone knows that special place is reserved for _her_ only..."

"..."

The Servant was absolutely bewildered here, but the girl took it that he was feeling sorry for her.

"But it's okay! I really thank you for the kind effort!"

"... You're welcome, Lady Irisviel..."

"Hmm, hold on. Now that I think about it, it feels so wrong that you still call me lady. Just Irisviel or Iri are more than fine! Really, I very much insist that you just drop the lady. You may even call me Iris if you wish to sound like Caster!"

"Very well." Lancer smiled gently. "Iris."

It was then that her favorite Sister's influence kicked in.

"Oh, wow! Just like Caster! I knew it. From now on, only you two are allowed to call me Iris. You share the same thought! How cute! This is why I became the two of you's biggest shipper!"

"..."

"Marry her, Lancer! Please. Stop her from whoring herself!"

Seriously...

This girl should know that she had become way too blunt. Then again, Lancer could do nothing about it. Besides, he knew that being blunt could be useful sometimes. In this case, it made him understand her intention here.

"Who taught you to play matchmaker, Iris?"

"Sister Marian inspired me." She looked sheepish slightly before frowning. "But I'm not playing! I dislike that she got a probably boyfriend. You don't like it too, right? Please tell me that you at least feel jealous!"

"... Forgive me. I am not capable of jealousy."

"For real?! I've heard about that from sensei, but I've never thought..."

She was disappointed, that much was clear. He wished he didn't have to disappoint her, but like before, he could do nothing about it.

Lancer really didn't see Caster as anything more than a comrade. He was sure of that. Yes, she intrigued him, and sometimes could be like a breath of fresh air blowing through his admittedly dull thoughts. He also valued her for all her efforts in trying to make the team feel like a family. And she had succeeded. It was truly admirable of her. However, that was as far as he felt about her. This meant, even if he were capable of jealousy, in this case he would still not feel such a thing when it came to her.

After a moment of thinking, he looked back at the girl whom he had already considered as the little sister he never had, to see that she seemed to be dejected still. He instinctively reached out to her then, and ruffled her hair lightly. This seemed to do the trick if the adorable giggle she let out was any indication. And he couldn't help but smile in return.

"Go to sleep. I'll wait for your Shirou."

"Mhm. Good night then..." She smiled sheepishly. "Onii-chan!"

Then with another giggle, she skipped happily out of the living room.

Lancer watched her leave with a rather flabbergasted look in his eyes. He had never expected that a mere form of address could touch him so deeply. His heart had never felt this warm before.

/

Blood covered his hands.

Of course not literally.

He knew that he was far too efficient and immaculate in his works to let even a speck of blood stain him. For the record, however, this was not the kind of 'work' he did for a living. He did not enjoy taking lives even though he would not hesitate to do it if necessary.

This time, he had to deal with a bunch of pompous corrupt nuisances who had too much privilege and influence but too little sensibility and responsibility. They all deserved what was coming to them. But he decided to take matters in his own hands particularly because their presence in the upcoming auction would bring too much unnecessary exposure to the event. Their lives were not worth the resulting backlash if they got caught in the chaos. Even then, he was still glad that he had not needed to eliminate any more than two of them.

He always showed mercy in return of penance and cooperation. That didn't mean he was proud of his action. Not at all. The fact still remained that he had committed more sins. But he just felt apathetic to it. Let all the sins in the world consume him if it meant he could bring salvation to the world in the end.

... Admittedly, he wasn't really being truthful.

One more sin then.

Somehow, he didn't feel as apathetic as usual this time. For some reason, he chose to loiter at a random gas station instead of going home already. And in all honestly, it was simply because he felt dirty, far too dirty to be near her. She said she would not see him differently, and he believed her. But it also made him feel even more unworthy to even face her...

A depressed sigh.

He was a villain. He got that. He didn't see himself trying to rule the world or destroy it like typical villains, but he was well aware that he was evil enough to be considered as one. He was also aware of how ironic it was that his right Noble Phantasm was called Evil Eater. An evil incarnate equipped to fight evil then.

What a mess.

Surely, the Servant that had been following his action throughout this night would agree. He had sensed their watching eyes easily enough but not yet got a chance to identify them since they always stayed an unreasonable distance away. It was like literally on the other side of the city. Such a keen sight could only be achieved with Clairvoyance, so definitely an Archer. And he was sure that it was one of the Servants working for the old mafia boss, the still unidentified one.

Oh well, he might as well wait and see. He still didn't feel like going home, anyway.

Feeling a bit too edgy to his liking, Shirou decided to get some canned coffee from a nearby vending machine. He needed it. Coffee was like a blessing to him. Without it, he would've already become some kind of edgelord ages ago, considering how messed up his existence was. Too bad for him, though. It seemed that fate itself had every intention to turn him into one, because just as he was about to drink his much needed coffee...

A strange projectile hit the small can in his hand and struck the pavement nearby. There was a mild explosion. But he remained standing still as he looked dumbly at the little piece of scrap metal that used to be his coffee can...

If it was really an **edgelord** they wanted, he would give them one for once.

A pair of blazing golden orbs slowly turned toward the direction the projectile came from. Too far away. Obviously, he could see nothing of the attacker, but he was sure as hell the bastard saw the message he sent out.

A challenge.

The answer came immediately in the form of a rapid fire that obliterated his surroundings, including the poor vending machine. Laughable. Now at the ready with both of his Eye of the Mind skills fully operating, it was like a child-play to him. He could read all of the incoming attacks easily, and evade each one of them with barely any effort. Not even the littlest bit of debris from the resulting explosions hit him.

It would be wise to get further away from the gas station, however. He was not particularly concerned if it got blown up. It was just that his car was parked there. And he would not risk turning into an edgelord permanently by having it damaged again.

Thus he kept on dodging, ducking, and jumping over the dangerous missiles in almost unconscious manner as he ran.

His real focus was on using his Almighty Key to search over the _library_ of all magecrafts ever known to mankind, to find the most effective one to deal with this situation. To fight an Archer, it was an absolute must to close the distance if you were not an Archer yourself. Therefore, he needed a spell that should help him achieve it. He finally discovered one right as he sensed his opponent drew another missile, a more powerful one.

It all happened so fast then.

A large purple glyph formed in the air, appearing to protect the former Servant from the upcoming fire. But instead of hiding, he jumped over the glyph the exact moment the missile hit... and landed right on top of it as it was reflected by his grand spell successfully.

The sensation he experienced as he soared in a flash through the sky would surely make a certain speed-loving girl unbelievably jealous if she knew.

Seeing the reflected missile and its unexpected passenger coming, the Archer-class servant's eyes widened slightly before he fired another missile to counter it. The two identical projectiles struck each other, creating a large explosion. But the so called passenger had jumped at the last second. He twisted in the air briefly before throwing a set of four thin blades from his left hand. Each one of them was parried easily with a grand-looking longbow, but the following quick swipe from a black boot managed to graze the wielder's face. The two disengaged immediately after that.

They were on top of a particularly tall building, Shirou noticed as he landed on its concrete roof. It would be nice to enjoy the view for a bit, but a piercing glare from his pissed off opponent made him reconsider it. He gave the Archer full attention then, and raised an eyebrow as the identity finally revealed itself.

Unfortunately, his 'edgelord moment' had to come to an early end because he just didn't know how to speak like one.

"What an honor to meet the legendary protagonist of Mahabharata in person. But O great Arjuna, would you care to tell why you decided to punish a random poor priest trying to get some coffee?"

The fact that the self-claimed priest could recognized him immediately surprised the hero, but he was too sickened by the boy's presence to care.

"A priest?" He sneered. "You dare call yourself a priest after all the crimes you committed throughout the night?"

"Oh? You have a point there. I can't help but find it ironic, though, that you seem to be bothered with the crimes I committed when you yourself are working for a real crime syndicate..."

"True. I can eliminate them easily anytime, however. They are merely criminals. Easily manageable. Unlike you, a true villain."

"A true villain? Me? That sounds rather harsh, don't you think?"

"No. You can't fool me with your _harmless_ act. I was born to fight villains. I can see the darkness within them. And it still surprises me to see that you're hiding no less darkness than even Duryodhana." ... and Arjuna himself if he was being honest...

This was honestly a very uncomfortable confrontation to the hero. He would never admit it, but his current opponent was in a sense very much like him. The difference was, whilst he absolutely refused to even acknowledge the hidden darkness in his heart, the boy seemed to have made peace with his own darkness. That was such a bizarre concept to him. And worse, it made him feel like a coward.

This was unacceptable.

Fortunately for the troubled Archer, the boy, unlike his Servant, had no ability to read characters. Therefore, he didn't notice his opponent's tightly concealed insecurities. He was only surprised to see how edgy this great hero actually was, even more so when he compared him to his great nemesis.

"... But great Arjuna, surely a random nobody like me is far easier to eliminate."

"You think you can fool me? I know your kind. And I know how it would play out if we were to continue our fight."

"The odds are greatly in your favor, right? I'd say ninety eight percent you would easily come out victorious."

"But the two percent is all that matter, isn't it?" Another sneer. "Like I said I know your kind. The mastermind. The true villain in every saga."

"Then surely you also know that you could easily disregard the two percent if only you're willing to lay down your 'heroic codes' for just a moment."

Of course.

If only they were in a remote location, there would be no fight. They both knew it. There existed a pretty much effortless way for the hero to secure victory, by nuking the so called priest from afar. But it was also the only way. The same scenario couldn't possibly be played out in this highly populated area. It would potentially devastate the whole city. It would cost too much just to win. A righteous hero like Arjuna would never allow himself to consider such a barbarous option. And it only made him despise his opponent even more.

"You're truly no less despicable than Duryodhana. Only the worst of villains would try to hide behind innocents!"

"Perhaps. But if I may, I need to point out the fact that you consider these mass of people as innocents is... _cute_."

That did it.

Furious, Arjuna drew his Agni Gandiva without a second thought.

"Flame God's Yell." And the missile was engulfed in blue flames.

Shirou responded in kind. Glowing runes appeared all over both of his arms as he fully activated his twin Noble Phantasms. He would need them to enhance his already beyond powerful Baptism Rite. For Dead Apostles, even the Ancestors, it would be way too overkill. But it was pretty much necessary if he intended to subjugate a Servant of his own Servant's caliber.

The real fight was about to go down when suddenly the Archer-class servant lowered his bow. It seemed that he managed to regain his composure at the last moment. The anger in his eyes had diminished, leaving only contempt as he stared at his enemy.

"Mark my words, _priest_. There's only one fate awaiting a villain. And that is to be vanquished."

Then after leaving such edgy parting words, the great hero disappeared in a flash.

An edgy great hero.

Even Shirou in his 'edgelord-mode' couldn't hope to rival this hero.

/

Almost three in the morning. Three hours had passed since his little sister went to sleep, and his Master still had not yet returned.

The TV still showed nothing interesting...

Although there was nothing different with his expression, Lancer was actually bored. His face just failed horribly in showing it. His mind was like on auto pilot as he settled on a random channel. That was the only possible explanation why the great hero could be found alone in a dusty living room watching a late-night drama on a cheap television.

Yes. Drama.

He had been enduring the boredom this far for his sweet little sister. He would not turn down the challenge of enduring such a show now. And surprisingly, as much as he did not enjoy it, he found it to be effective enough to keep him awake. He had a good reason, however.

The story was basically about all the drama that happened when two men fought over a woman. And all of this always involved one thing.

Jealousy.

He found himself feeling determined to learn about this particular subject the girl brought up earlier. It supposedly felt unpleasant. Should he consider himself lucky to be devoid of it then?

Irrelevant.

 _Please tell me that you at least feel jealous!_

Sweet Irisviel expected him to feel jealous of her Servant getting a probably boyfriend. He would not let her down without trying. Thus in his mind, he tried to pair Caster off with somone. And he supposed it would help if it was someone he should for all intents and purposes envious of. The fact that he also had never felt envy was irrelevant. He needed a rival here. And of course, at the word rival, a couple of names immediately crossed his mind.

Saber...

No. Saber already had a _wife_.

Rider...

No. Rider was a good buddy. He bought Lancer drinks. It was also impossible to picture him with anyone other than his neesan.

...

Who else?

Forget about rivalry.

Shirou?

NO. Absolutely NO. This was done to please Sweet Irisviel, not to enrage her.

...

So who?

Oh, him...

Yes. The name had been almost forgotten since it had been quite long, but he would do just fine.

Then without further ado, Lancer tried to picture Caster having an intimate relationship with...

Lord Einzbern.

A few moments later, he decided to stop. Not because he finally felt the slightest sign of jealousy. It was just too boring that he preferred to go back watching the drama on TV. At least with this show, he could see some new perspectives regarding the subject at hand. Without realizing it, he was even getting more and more engrossed with the plot. Too engrossed, in fact, that he didn't notice the familiar rumble of Akane's engine.

The front door opened soon later. The house owner entered, and raised an eyebrow as he saw the Servant watching some drama on TV all too intensely. He shook his head in amusement then before making his presence known.

"I'm home."

"Welcome home, Shirou."

Lancer's attention was still on the drama, though. So he just let him be, and went to the kitchen. He returned a few minutes later with two cups of coffee. One for himself. One for his Servant who accepted it with a nod of gratitude without looking away from the TV.

Taking a seat on the same spot Irisviel used earlier, Shirou finally felt at ease. He was home with a warm cup of coffee in hand. And the much needed dose of caffeine would deal with his remaining edginess at last. It just felt peaceful. Just sitting silently in the late of night like this with Lancer's calming presence as company always managed to give him a peace of mind. Though it wouldn't hurt to have a bit of conversation too, he supposed.

"I didn't expect you're still awake, Lancer."

"I promised your beloved that I would wait for your return."

"Oh?" He couldn't help but smile. "You guys worried about me?"

"Is there a reason to? You're more cunning and dangerous than even Duryodhana. The ones who dare to cross your path are the ones who deserve to be worried about."

That was quite disheartening.

His smile dropped pitifully. Yeah, a worthless but dangerous failure like him really didn't deserve to be worried about. At the mention of his Servant's old master, however, he was reminded of his earlier encounter with a certain someone.

"You know, a certain protagonist of the same legend as yours basically told me the same thing. I met him before going home, by the way. Arjuna."

"Oh? Did you kill him?"

"..."

The boy was left speechless.

Looking at the intertwined fates of the two heroes, it was pretty much expected that Karna who suffered all the misfortunes and injustices would feel at least bitter to Arjuna who received all the bests the life could offer. However, he knew his Servant. As a Master, he had also experienced a few dreams pertaining his Servant's past. From that, he knew that the Hero of Charity had never harbored any ill feelings toward the Awarded Hero until the end. But he still didn't expect that Lancer would appear so apathetic at hearing the name of the one he had a long history with, the one who had ended his life...

What really baffled him was a wholly different matter, though.

"Don't be absurd, Lancer. There is just no way for a random priest like me to even hope to challenge such a legendary hero."

"You're fooling no one, Shirou. At least not me. Once you set your mind on it, you would find a way to kill just about anyone, even a god."

The statement saddened him somehow.

Was he really that dangerous?

Two legendary heroes had given him the same answer to that. And it was the reason he was sad.

He wanted to be a hero too...

At least, the lingering shadow of his past self did. As for the present Amakusa Shirou, he knew that he had crossed the point of no return long ago. The only thing he could do was accept the role left for him, even if this role ended up to be the exact opposite of the one he originally strove for.

"A true villain then."

"... Pardon?"

"If even the great hero Arjuna considers me as a true villain, that must be true then. And with you, a no less great hero, spelling out how much of a threat I am, it further proves his claim."

His uncharacteristic edginess didn't escape his Servant's notice. It was then that Lancer decided to set some things straight.

"You know, Shirou... I have actually never seen myself as a hero. In my eyes, there's also no true villain. We all live to fight and struggle for something that truly matters to us. To me, it's my purpose. To others, it might be dreams, ambitions, ideals, beliefs, or perhaps something as natural as love."

"... What is you purpose then, Lancer?"

"To stand for the one who gives light to my life. In the past, it was Duryodhana. They viewed him as the villain, and it was understandable and reasonable. But he welcomed me, made me feel belonged and appreciated, when not even my own mother cared."

"And now?"

"Both you and your beloved. The sun and the moon that have made my whole existence feel brighter than ever."

Nothing more needed to be said.

Both Master and Servant looked to be perfectly relaxed and content then as they enjoy their coffees and of course the still airing drama on TV. They were lucky this very late at night, the girls were already long asleep. If not, it would be quite embarrassing to be found watching such a show. The Servant obviously couldn't care less, but the Master, already being looked down by them, would not risk it. He still watched attentively, though, and only speak once it ended.

"So let me get this straight. That whole mess happened just because two idiots fight over a woman... That's downright pathetic."

"You would not do the same if someone try to take your beloved away?"

"If it would lead to her happiness, I would give out my blessing right away."

That really got Lancer's attention because it concerned the subject he had been having a hard time to understand.

"You would not feel any jealousy?"

"Of course I would. But I would kill off such petty feelings as soon as it appeared."

So they were more alike than they thought. Both were really devoid of grudge, hatred, and in this case, jealousy. But for wholly different reasons. Karna was simply pure. As for Shirou, the boy was twisted... finely twisted... but still twisted nonetheless...

And deserved a good whack on the head.

"Ow! What was that for, Lancer?"

"For thinking so lowly of my sister."

"Sister... Oh, not you too! And what do you mean thinking so lowly?"

"She would never leave you for another, that's for certain. Learn to understand women, Shirou."

As if he had not been trying already.

* * *

 **All hail Shirou the edgelord!**

 **I was tempted to keep his 'edgelord mode' for a bit longer, and let him have an all out fight with the edgy Archer. Then I remembered that it's just not his battle.** **And now, I feel somewhat obligated to make the fated battle of this arc not** ** **underwhelming**. I have no idea how Arjuna fights, but since he really looks like Bleach's Quincy, I can't help thinking that he'd fight like one...**


	13. makeover

**For the record, the Templars here are admittedly inspired by the ones in Dragon's Age. I'm a fan of DA!**

 **Warning: a harmless poor priest can be a bit of an ass too if he doesn't get enough sleep.**

 **13**

* * *

Some churches, usually the old and secluded ones, possessed certain eeriness to them. Just like this small church outside of the grand city of Rome. In the late of nights with barely any souls present, the old building really gave off the vibe of a devil's nest or something equally unholy. And in this case, it wasn't that far off because at three thirty in the morning, there really was someone who might as well be a devil incarnate alone inside the church.

The aforementioned 'devil' sneezed.

It was cold, you know.

He pulled his signature red vestment tighter over his form, but remained standing in place silently before the small altar.

In such a pitiful predicament, his mind couldn't help but wander, recalling the warm pleasant times he had spent with a certain girl in the backseats of his car. How he missed those happier times... These days, instead of snuggling close to him for warmth, the used to be sweet girl would surely kick him out of the car just so she could have more space for herself.

So cruel...

And so the devil wept inwardly.

His shoulders shook slightly both from cold and misery. Unbeknownst to him, however, from behind, the display made him appear like a scary villain chuckling menacingly to himself. At least that was what crossed the thought of a figure walking into the church just then.

The newcomer who appeared to be a tall young man clad in a sophisticated dark coat didn't let his distraught show on his stone cold face. An aura of absolute authority surrounded his imposing figure as he walked with long purposeful strides until he stopped a respectful distance behind the 'devil in red'. Then his very neat long platinum blond hair fell over his face slightly as he surprisingly, without hesitation, knelt on one knee.

"Grandmaster Shirou. Victor Carlsson answers your summon."

There were slight rustlings and the barely noticeable but unmistakable sound of blowing nose before the 'devil' turned around with his usual smile.

"Ah, Sir Victor. Please stand up. You know I don't mind that you're taller than me."

A white eyebrow rose up slightly then as the supposedly fearsome new Knight-Commander of the Order of Templars reluctantly stood up but with his head still bowed respectfully. It seemed that this young man really didn't want to look down on the one he referred as Grandmaster as they spoke.

Shirou understood this well enough despite how absurd this might seem. After all, it was none other than him who had orchestrated Sir Victor's rapid rise in rank and power. That was the reason the young knight insisted to call him Grandmaster even though technically there was no such position within the Order. He personally didn't think all of this was necessary. He wouldn't have bothered to give out his assistance if the person in question didn't have the potential.

In the end, it was worth it, he supposed.

The all talented Knight-Commander Victor had become one of the strongest humans alive. And with that, the humble but not so human Father Shirou had a powerful resource at his disposal. What a win-win situation.

"Thank you, by the way, for stationing Sister Marian close to the headquarters. She's happy here."

"It's my pleasure, Grandmaster. She is a great asset to the Order despite being only an agent. A wonderful individual."

"Oh?" He blinked innocently. "Do you like her? If so, I'll give you my blessing."

"Grandmaster!?"

The sudden outburst looked really out of place for the usually stoic knight. The 'devil' chuckled a bit at this. It seemed like his protege's matchmaking hobby had finally rubbed off on him. But as he looked back at the knight's slightly reddened face, he couldn't help but wonder if he might succeed on first try... This made him chuckle again. Surely it wouldn't hurt to fool around for a bit more.

"You know, if it's any help, she once offhandedly mentioned that she found the new Knight-Commander to be very impressive..."

"Sir... Whilst I appreciate your certainly good intention, I came here expecting a new order from you."

What a shame. But the knight really did look uncomfortable, trying hard to maintain his composure. The 'devil' decided to take pity on him then. Besides, they really weren't here in such a late hour to discuss the knight's love life.

"You're aware of the so called grand auction taking place later this evening, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir." The knight's icy blue eyes were ablaze. "And I wish nothing more than to crush such a gathering of pompous heretics."

But he could do nothing.

Certainly not for the lack of power. It would take no more than a third of the Order's Templar Knight squads to put down completely all of the Dead Apostles, Blood Mages, and every other criminal in the gathering. Unfortunately, some of those fiends were also prominent figures in society who had enough influence to allow the event to be held in such a close proximity to Vatican. And it was all intentional just so they could flaunt their political powers right in front of the Holy Church's doorsteps. However, the one that felt the most insult was none other than the Order of Templars.

As the new Knight Commander, Sir Victor felt his blood boil.

"Alas, Vatican forbids us from taking action, thus our hands are tied. We have no choice. The Order must not divide further from the Church."

It was really a problematic predicament.

His dilemma was clear to see. On one hand, it was against his Templar honor to just stand by and watch the heretics' blatant taunts. On the other hand, if he opposed Vatican's decree, he might ruin all his hard work in freeing the Order from their shameful reputations that over centuries had likened them to some kind of terrorists.

Shirou understood very well, and as unofficially the Order's so called 'Grandmaster', he was not about to let them down.

"Say, what if this random priest give you permission?"

"Does it mean... what I think it means, Grandmaster?"

"Sure thing. You have my words that there would be no consequence, not even a backlash, if the Order were to take action this time."

What happened next was expected but still no less amusing. The Knight-Commander once again knelt down immediately before the so called Grandmaster.

"Thank you, Grandmaster Shirou!"

"No worries, Sir Victor."

"The Order of Templars' loyalty forever belongs to you!"

"That's -"

"We insist!"

Those icy orbs were ablaze again. And the 'devil' could only blink in bewilderment. Although it had no effect on him, he could see why this particular knight was known as the Templar Terror. After all, only those most fearsome could unconsciously make a genuinely earnest expression look completely threatening like this. He only chuckled at this, though. Perhaps there was something he could do to make the serious knight loosen up a bit.

"Oh well, that's all I have to say for the time being. You may go home now, Sir Victor. Prepare the squads. Sister Marian would give you further instructions from me later. You wouldn't mind working closely together with her, would you?"

"It would be my pleasure! We will begin all the preparations immediately then. Good day, Gandmaster Shirou."

With that, the young knight respectfully rose up and took his leave, but unbeknownst to him, he didn't manage to hide the light but unmistakable flush that briefly crossed his stoic face. Of course, this didn't escape the so called Grandmaster's notice. He couldn't help but chuckle in amusement as soon as he was left alone again.

The fearsome and overly passionate Knight-Commander really had the hots for his pretty protege. How adorable.

Those two would make a fine couple, he supposed. Actually if he so wished, he could easily get them together, just as he could easily pull the strings to make almost everything surrounding the Holy Church go as he wished. He just had that much influence here. And honestly, it didn't feel so bad at all to be in power. He needed to savor such feelings once in a while, anyway.

His poor self esteem desperately needed it.

After all, once he was home, he would return to become nothing more than just a certain sassy lady's bitch.

The dreadful thought was enough to make Shirou feel not so hurried to go back home. But he really needed some sleep, and sleeping here in the church was not an option because it would only support her accusation.

He was not homeless dammit.

/

She was dreaming, Irisviel was sure of that. Strangely enough, in this dream she had no control of herself, and could barely hear anything, but her sight was pretty much clear.

It seemed like she was back in her home castle. She easily recognized the familiarity of the hallways as her body walked calmly on its own. But she came to a different conclusion soon later after she found some noticeable differences.

She was in an Einzbern Castle, but not the one she considered as home.

Then again, this was a dream.

Shrugging inwardly, she let her feet led her for a moment until she came into a particular cozy living room with a nice fireplace in it. There was also a large mirror on the wall. She caught her reflection briefly, and sighed inwardly in relief.

Yup. That was her, alright. Though she couldn't remember the last time she looked that horribly deadpan.

No matter.

Her dream self thought so too, it seemed, as she felt herself looked away then. And that was when her eyes widened, only figuratively of course. Her body was still not in her control. But her eyes had really found someone she didn't expect to see there. It was a very pleasant surprise, though. Because there standing regally in the middle of the room, clad in an ornate samurai attire, was none other than her _imaginary boyfriend_...

Noticing her presence, the boy quickly turned toward her, his long black ponytail swung beautifully with his movement. His bright golden eyes lit up, and a warm smile graced his flawless face. Then without a second thought, he happily moved close to her.

Even though Irisiviel couldn't understand what he was saying, and her body was still frustratingly impassive, she was a blushing mess inside. Naturally she couldn't help herself from assuming that he was declaring his love to her... or maybe, just maybe... asking her to marry him!

Oh! What to do...

Okay, she definitely knew what to do if she was being honest. But she really needed to stop panicking. This was just a dream!

Luckily, her panic really did stop then as she found her uncooperative self giggling lightly. She could hear it well for some reason, but what an awkward giggle it was! How tragic! She couldn't believe that she, dream self or not, would ever let out such an embarrassing noise. But to her surprise, at hearing her giggle, the ever present smile on his face became even more heartwarming if that was even possible.

Then their eyes met... and she could feel nothing but joy. An overwhelming joy that somehow seemed foreign even to her... almost as if she wasn't really the one feeling it... Strange, but it was to be expected.

The truth was, unbeknownst to her, it was as much of a dream as it was a **memory** of a lifetime that she couldn't possibly remember.

Having no idea about it, Irisviel simply brushed it off as another one of her more interesting dreams. She had been having plenty of those after meeting her beloved sensei. Though nothing could compare to the real interesting ones that she experienced occasionally since she started sleeping in his bed. Those kind of dreams never failed to make her flush hotly. Her Servant had been suspicious about them so she needed to be careful. But she had been too far gone. She found herself every night hoping to have such dreams again. This night was no different, but to her disappointment, she got one strange dream instead.

Nothing naughty.

It was only natural then that she later woke up feeling bothered and understandably frustrated. Oh well, perhaps she could release her frustration a bit with the real Shirou... by being bossy, of course! She was not so bold as to practice what she had learned in those dreams.

After rubbing her eyes a bit to get rid of the remaining sleepiness, she noticed that Caster had already left. She then checked the cheap clock that had long lost its function as alarm atop the small bedside table to see that it was already 10:40 am. A light gasp left her mouth. But just as she was about to change out of her nightgown and put on a more appropriate clothing, she found a gaudy pink note close to the small clock. With a frown, she picked it up then and read it.

 _Going on another date~ You can't stop me, little lady! ― the most fabulous Caster ever._

That troublesome woman! All she did was going on dates since she got herself a probably not boyfriend. Had she forgotten that this day was the day?!

Of course not.

Clearly, Caster expected her Master to explain this to their leader because despite all her snarks and bravado, she was actually afraid of him. It was so lucky of her that her sweet and caring Master just so happened to have the boy wrapped around her dainty little finger. That didn't necessarily mean said Master would just keep being her sweet and caring self when faced with such a frustrating situation!

Irisviel had no intention to make any excuses for her rebellious Servant. But for the sake of her sanity, she really needed to talk to her sensei now!

Still in nothing but her thin nightgown, the girl quickly got of bed and left the room in a hurry. On the way to the living room, she noticed her oniichan in the kitchen, but she only spared him a brief good morning, and kept walking. Though she stopped dead in her track soon enough once she found the boy she was looking for sprawled in the dusty cheap couch... snoring.

It pissed her off!

He was supposed to have made breakfast already and do other house chores! Who did he think he was, lazying around like that?! Her husband? Hell no! Not if he was that lazy. No wonder he was still poor.

She seriously considered getting a bucket of cold water to wake him up, but it would be too much work for her. So in frustration, she walked up to his sleeping form before dropping down without warning on top of his stomach. And it worked like a charm to her satisfaction.

Groaning, the poor boy slowly opened his eyes to see a familiar feminine figure sitting atop him.

"Lumina-chan... get off me, please."

With that, his hand automatically moved to give who he thought it was a slap on the butt...

The girl stiffened. Surely she had never thought that this benign boy could be this bold when sleepy. But she had no time to be surprised about it because she just couldn't believe that he mistook her for _her_.

This was unacceptable!

"What was that, sensei?!"

"Huh?" He blinked then. "... Irisviel? Get off me! You're heavy."

"Excuse me?!"

"God... You've gained weight a ton, haven't you?"

Oh well, it seemed like he could be such an ass too when sleepy and grouchy.

This was not funny, though, especially to the girl. Enraged, she turned her body a bit so she could straddle him. And soon, blow after blow from her dainty but strong hands landed on his defenseless head and upper body. Not enough with that, she considered using some spell too to empower her assaults, but just before she could try, she found both her wrists being seized by much stronger hands.

A white eyebrow twitched in irritation, but her gaze was drawn to a mesmerizing pair of golden orbs instead.

She stopped her fight instantly. She didn't even struggle to free her hands. On the contrary, she unconsciously surrendered herself by leaning close tentatively. Her face slowly moved closer to his, and closer, and closer until there was just a small distance separating them. Then her eyes fell close lightly in anticipation. Her lips parted slightly in preparation.

Irisviel was about to get her real first kiss...

Unfortunately, fate, or at least the dusty couch didn't think so. The cheap thing chose that exact moment to break down after long years of struggle. So instead of having a memorable first kiss, the pair headbutted each other as they fell with the broken couch. The girl could still consider herself lucky because she was on top. The boy, well, he was not surprised by his bad luck. Still, he at least had the right to give the girl innocently lying on top of him an unimpressed look.

"See? You're heavy."

Horrible mistake.

No more innocent girl, at least until her fist successfully connected with his sleepy face. And despite not bothering to empower her hand first, her rage alone made the punch strong enough to knock him out cold. Breathing hard, she finally got off him then before sitting down on a nearby chair.

Honestly, she shouldn't feel this bothered, much less insecure. She was not fat, far from it. If she were to be considered fat, they might as well call her Servant a hippopotamus woman! Even so, as hard as she tried, she couldn't deny that her stupid sensei, sleepy or not, insensitively calling her heavy really hurt. Had it not crossed his mind that she just like any other women couldn't stand to have her weight be pointed out so blatantly?

In the end, the girl looked absolutely bothered. Seeing this, the unfortunate state of the boy, and the broken couch, Lancer who came there to check on them after hearing the rather alarming sound couldn't stay silent.

"What has he done this time, Iris?"

"He called me fat!"

It all made sense now. The Servant sighed in disbelief at his Master's foolishness when it came to women.

"If that's so, he at least deserves his ribs broken like the couch then."

Shaking his head, Lancer deemed that his little sister needed some time alone to cool herself. He decided to went out for a bit then to get some fresh air. As he walked past his unconscious Master, however, he paused briefly to give the boy's exposed side a 'light tap' before continuing on his way.

It was no less than twenty minutes later that Shirou regained his consciousness. He groaned immediately as he felt what could only be broken ribs.

"God, I know that girl is heavy, but it's rather overkill that she could break some ribs just by sitting atop me."

"It wasn't me!" Said girl glared hotly. "Lancer did that for me, but now I really want to break more of them!"

"... Wait what?! But I'm his Master..."

"Oh, don't you know? A kawaii imouto deserves a much bigger priority than a stupid Master."

This was bad.

He was practically all alone now. This cheeky girl had completely ruled over his life. He fully expected that she would happily rub it on his face then, but to his puzzlement, she did no such thing. She appeared to be too busy checking over her body for some reason. This made him frown for a bit. But soon enough, he understood the reason behind her strange behavior.

"You're fussing over nothing, Irisviel. You're still pretty. Very pretty. Chubby girls are cute too."

"I'm not chubby, you monster!"

"... Your butt is, though."

"Excuse me?!"

"Never mind. Still, while we're on this subject, I'd like to tell you that you need a makeover."

"... You'd better have a good reason behind such a bold claim, or else..."

She would break every bone in his body, he got that. Fortunately, he did have a good and logical enough reason.

"This evening, you're coming with me to a gathering of tiresome criminals. I suppose it would be wise if you don't show up as the _sweet_ innocent Irisviel. It would also draw less attention if you could simply pretend to be my assistant. That's why Sister Marian would be here later to give you a makeover."

It seemed like he had picked his words smartly. Not that it took much effort. Just mention the girl's sister idol, and those pair of angry maroon orbs would light up instantly in complete excitement.

"Ooh? Really, sensei?! Would she dress me up as a sister like her?"

"You know she'd never disappoint."

/

Several blocks away from a certain priest's humble residence, there was a meeting between two formidable Servants.

The edgy legendary Archer was having a discussion with a mysterious Caster who appeared to be also edgy enough to wear a spiky outfit complete with long capes. Naturally, he considered his companion to be quite a sophisticated individual. He enjoyed this Caster's company despite only knowing him as a Servant sent by a _friend_ to assist them with their plan. Definitely suspicious. But he didn't feel the need to think too much about it for the time being. To him, smart and reliable minds were always welcomed.

Alas, their quality conversation was coming to an end. To finish it, Archer felt the need to give out an advice based on his vast experience.

"The plan seems to be solid enough. Be warned, however. That _harmless priest_ is not someone to be underestimated."

"Noted. Be that as it may, you don't need to concern yourself with him, Archer. After all, your battle with the Red Lancer would be the deciding factor."

"Just as I prefer."

"I would take my leave then. Your airheaded pink doll is approaching."

Without another word, the dark Caster disappeared. And Archer sighed tiredly because soon later, a wholly different kind of Caster showed up. This one, he had to force himself to pretend to like her company. He had done one hell of an act so far, however.

Oblivious, the female Servant skipped closer with a huge grin.

"Sorry I'm late! The _cook_ in our house thought that it was a good idea to sleep til noon. What a good for nothing lazy ass! Thanks to him, I had to go out of my way to get something to eat myself. It would be embarrassing if my poor tummy growls while we're on a date, no?"

... Did she not realize that in fact she had embarrassed herself already with her babbling?

Of course not. She was just an airhead. It was almost painful for him that he had to play along with her idiocy.

"Ah, you shouldn't have troubled yourself, Miss Tama. In actuality, I was hoping we could start today's wonderful outing by going to a nice restaurant together."

"Oh?! Let's go then! My tummy still has plenty enough room for expensive foods!"

"..."

The sophisticated Archer visibly grimaced, but he regained his bearing soon enough. Shaking his head, he led the obnoxious woman to his blue supercar before opening the passenger door for her like a true gentleman. To his further annoyance, however, it seemed like she was not about to get in easily.

Caster stood agape with eyes fixated on the beauty before her.

"Ooh! Who's this pretty girl? I love our Akane, but this one is much prettier than her!"

That came out of nowhere. Thankfully, he understood what she meant quickly enough.

"You have a fine taste, madam. This is the beautiful Testarossa. Ferrari Testarossa."

"Wow... Testarossa... Lancer would surely droll if he meets her..."

"Pardon?"

"Oh? N- No! It was nothing, Arjun!"

As if she could fool him.

He kept her around only as a source of information. The woman was laughably gullible. He only needed to say some sugary words to her, and she would easily babble all he needed to know about her companions. The interesting fact that she was actually quite close with his fated rival was a priceless bonus. If he played his cards right, he could take advantage of this to get a rise out of that emotionless hero.

Normally, he considered it far below him to use such an underhanded move. But this was a special case. He would make an exception for this one time. He would do whatever it took to achieve the sense of accomplishment that he had been deprived of the first time he brought down the hero of charity.

/

It was becoming like a pattern.

A happy sister met up with a sassy rich lady who was her dear friend but 'secretly' also her biggest fan. Overdramatic greetings ensued. Then a certain poor priest inevitably suffered just because he was brave enough to point out their abnormal behavior.

This time was no different.

The two were hugging each other as if their lives depended on it. That was 'normal' enough. The problem was, this had been going on for almost ten minutes. That was a new record! Still, what made it unacceptable was the fact that they were doing it in the small hallway of the house, practically blocking the way. It didn't help that he still felt like being a bit of an ass after having a horrible morning...

"Get a room, you two, if you want to keep groping each other. This hallway is not a place for such indecency."

"Ignore him, Sister Mari. He's just jealous."

"Mhm. He obviously wants to join in but too grumpy to admit it."

These girls didn't know that they were playing with fire, did they?

Even someone as harmless as him could snap if he got deprived of a much needed sleep just to find out later that they had run out of coffee.

"Who's grumpy? Who's jealous? Hah. If only it's not frowned upon, I would just marry the both of you."

What a thoughtless statement. It sure made the girls gasp in shock.

"He wants a harem, Iri..."

"How delusional of him, thinking that he could get either of us."

Eh?

It took a moment for the still kinda sleepy boy to realize that he did not pick his words carefully.

"Wait!" His eyes widened in panic. "What I meant was marry you off to each other! You see, to prove that I'm not jealous of your indecent relationship..."

"He's trying to deny it, Iri..."

"How hopeless. His lewd intention has become clear now."

These two were the real devils.

The church-dwelling 'devil in red' was thoroughly defeated. In the end, he could do nothing but run away through the backdoor of the house, giving up entirely the idea of using the indecently occupied hallway. Then conveniently right after he left, the girls shrugged and decided to 'get a room' just as he had asked in the first place.

His room.

Not for the reason he insinuated, of course. It might not seem like it but Sister Marian was here for a mission.

"You've had a bath, right Iri?"

"Yes. Just before Sister Mari came here."

"Good girl. I've brought my spare outfit for you to wear this evening. Now strip down."

"You know, if sensei heard this, I bet his brain would combust."

"Hmm..." Hazel eyes glinted mischievously. "Maybe we should add a couple of naughty moans too here?"

They laughed together as usual then at the poor boy's expense.

However, as she slowly took off her clothes, Irisviel was actually nervous. She had never willingly undressed in front of others before, not even her Servant. This morning incident didn't help her confidence either. She couldn't help feeling insecure then once she stood in only her undies.

"Sister Mari, do I look... chubby?"

"Huh? Of course not!"

"... How about my butt?"

Alright. This was definitely strange.

The sister blinked in bewilderment for a moment. Still, she did eventually move behind her half naked friend to check on her butt.

"Hmm... kinda?"

"Oh..."

"But just the right amount, Iri. Makes it look nicely rounded."

"... It's a good thing then?"

"Yup. Sexy."

"I'm..." Those innocent maroon eyes widened. "... sexy?"

... Was that really a question?!

If Sister Marian didn't know this innocent girl any better, she would think that it was just some kind of joke. Seriously, as she looked at the flawless body before her, she in all honesty felt a bit jealous. Being a late bloomer who till this day still only had relatively modest curves, she couldn't help feeling kind of inferior to this homunculus girl who had been born already with such a perfect figure. Thus there was no doubt in her mind that what Irisviel meant by 'chubby' was only the girl's already shapely body filling out further.

Still, as an experienced member of the Order's intelligent agency, this whole thing made her frown in suspicion.

"Okay now, Iri. What brought this up?"

"... This morning, sensei pointed out that I've gained some weight... and called me chubby."

A shocked gasp resounded through the small room.

"Oh you poor thing... That was very mean of him! I know he can be a bit of a jerk if he doesn't get enough sleep, but really, I don't get why he felt the need to find some nonexistent flaws in such an amazing girl like you. How ungrateful!" She huffed. "Makes me wonder how his _ghost lover_ looked like."

"Me too..."

"Don't you know anything about her, Iri? I heard she was an Einzbern too..."

"Only that she was technically a relative of mine. Nothing more than that. I'm not privy to any knowledge about her, or anything concerning the Third Holy Grail War for that matter. And Einzberns do not talk about the ones who have long gone."

How mysterious.

"There's not even a picture?"

"Not that I know of. But no doubt she was absolutely gorgeous..."

"Hey now, you're extremely pretty too. Even your sensei frequently says so."

"What use is it to me if he states it only as a fact?" She sighed sadly. "He only has his eyes on _her_..."

This was getting depressing... and downright frustrating.

It surely was not in the happy sister's character to indulge herself unproductively in such a depressing thought. And she would be damned if she let her sweet friend linger on it any longer too.

"What are you doing, Iri? Remember, don't lose to a _ghost_!"

And as usual, those particular words never failed to bring a hopeful smile to that lovely face.

"Yes!"

"Good. Now let's see you dressed up as a lovely Sister. After that, we'll move on to your little makeover. Do you have any preferences?"

For some reason, a captivating image of a long black ponytail swinging beautifully crossed Irisviel's mind...

"I do!"

And it would be brilliant.

/

Everyone who knew Father Shirou would agree that he was an exceptionally peaceful and gracious individual. The boy would always ready to greet others with his ever so warm, albeit fake, smiles. Even then, secretly there was one thing in particular that could easily trigger him.

His original appearance.

From those naive hopeful eyes to that stupidly confident smile, he couldn't stand any of those. But the one thing that was almost painful to look at was none other than the hairstyle. That silky black hair with a long silly ponytail should be erased from history if he could help it. It was impractical, not to mention way too pretty. He couldn't count the number of time he had been mistaken as a girl because of it.

That hair was cursed.

He didn't want to see it ever again, but knowing his luck...

The girls finally returned from his room after hours doing... hopefully no indecent things. The one with short crimson hair showed up first in her usual sister outfit. She had a proud grin on her face as she happily stepped aside to reveal the other girl. This one was also wearing a similar outfit. It was quite a pleasant surprise to see the rich lady appeared comfortable with such a modest look. If not for one flashy detail.

Her hair, or what had become of those lustrous fair tresses...

Shirou nearly had a heart-attack as his eyes fell upon an awfully familiar long black ponytail complete with the same exact girly bangs. He couldn't believe it.

"Whose idea was it?"

On the contrary, Irisviel had never looked this proud.

"Mine, of course! So how do I look, sensei? We even managed to replicate the pretty bangs so nicely if I say so myself."

Gaudy. Ridiculous. Awful.

He was about ready to ruthlessly shut down her hopeful look, but his protege's pleading gaze and his Servant's warning stare stopped him at the last second. This wouldn't end well for him, that much was clear. And so he sighed in defeat.

"We all know you always look pretty, Irisviel."

"What a lame response... Another generic 'sweet words'..." She also sighed, but in disappointment. "It would be nice to hear a genuine compliment once in a while too, you know. And it's not Irisviel. I'm **Sister Lulu** now."

"... Yes, _Sister Lulu_..."

No enthusiasm. And it was so blatant that even big bro Lancer had to step in.

"That is a wonderful name. Give her more credit, Shirou. You have no right to judge her with your pitiful talent in picking names."

That was such a low blow, Lancer...

Still, the boy needed to keep in mind that he was alone here if he chose to antagonize this particular girl. It was not worth it. Thus he decided to move on to a much more important matter at hands.

"Alright. The auction is in mere hours. As we all know, Iris- I mean, _Sister Lulu_ and I will be attending the invitation. We've confirmed yesterday that a Greater Grail has indeed been transported to the site, but she would still need to come with me to pinpoint the exact location."

He paused for a bit to make sure that everyone was taking him seriously now that he had assumed his role as a leader before continuing. His attention was on his trusted protege this time.

"Sister Marian. After this, you will meet up with Sir Victor. You'll be working with him to provide him and his Templar Knights instructions."

"But Father Shirou! I know that the Knight-Commander is at your command, but I doubt he would just listen to a lowly agent like me..."

"He would. He knows how much I trust you. Besides..." Here, he resisted a chuckle. "... he is smitten with you."

"I see..." Hazel eyes widened suddenly then. "Wait WHAT?!"

Unfortunately, she didn't get any explanation because her mentor had become too busy trying to keep his cool. It didn't help that her friend seemed to be beyond overjoyed at hearing the pleasantly surprising revelation.

"That sounds wonderful, Sister Mari! The Templars Knight-Commander? What a great catch! I expect no less from you. You've got to introduce him to us!"

It was quite amusing really.

Who knew that under all of her reputation as a mischievous matchmaker, the sister was secretly as awkward as her mentor in this subject. She was blushing madly here. And her dear friend's persistent cheering really didn't help her predicament. Thankfully after a moment, said mentor was generous enough to help by pulling said friend away.

"Give her a break, _Sister Lulu_. Keep your pestering for another time. Now where's Caster? I haven't seen her for a while."

"... She's on a date." She huffed slightly. "Again."

"..."

Seriously...

Their patience with the troublesome woman honestly had been extraordinary. Perhaps the time had finally come to give her a slap on the wrist. But as he saw how disgruntled her Master was already by this, he decided to let it slide for the time being. This was not worth losing composure for. They would manage just fine without the female Servant.

He turned his attention to his own Servant then.

"Now for Lancer, your role is quite simple but most vital." His eyes hardened at this. "Locate and eliminate the edgy - _ahem_ \- the enemy Archer. Take the battle to the sky. That would signal the start of the party."

"It will be done." Then Lancer's eyes hardened as well. "Just don't make Lulu upset, Shirou. You know better than that."

"... I'll keep that in mind."

That would be his hardest personal task, he supposed.

* * *

 **Basically to hide her identity, Irisviel here chose to cosplay as a female version of original Amakusa Shirou... with a Sister outfit. How adorable she is! Now I really want to keep her like this for a little while to give her stupid sensei a headache.**

 **So, w** ** **elcome aboard, Sister Lulu!****


	14. flames

**Friendly reminder! The Karna we have here is not exactly the one from real life mythology. This fictional character is Nasuverse's Servant Karna. I write him here based** ** **solely** on Lancer of Red character in Fate/Apocrypha since this is an Apocrypha AU. The same goes for the other Servants as well. Granted, I do not limit myself from 'making up' a few things for this story once in a while to support the plot.  
**

 **Now here it is, the culmination of the current sub arc.**

 **14**

* * *

Could it be what they called as love at first sight?

Possibly.

Lancer found it nearly impossible to tear his eyes away from the exotic beauty before him. No one had ever captivated him like this. The defined features and daring curves entranced him beyond belief. Slowly, he moved behind the beauty, trying to get a better view. That was when he got the name.

testarossa

It was what the small metallic emblem at the top of that tantalizing behind read. And what a beautiful name it was.

He had never wanted something as much as he wanted such a beauty. Perhaps once they were done with their quest, he could get himself one. If someone as hopeless as his Master managed to buy a car, he was sure that he could do it as well. That meant he would need to get a job, though. That would proof to be quite a bit of problem. Now he could save himself a lot of trouble if he just talked to his rich little sister about it. Surely she would be happy to buy him one. But that was not an option. His oh so wise Master once said that your first car should be bought with your own savings after all.

Yes.

Once this was all over, he would get a job. Perhaps he could start his own metal band or try to be a racing driver. Then once he got enough savings, he would buy a Testarossa of his own, a red one of course. But for the time being, he would settle for just admiring this blue beauty before him.

And so for the next few minutes, Lancer spent a quality time that evening checking out the blue Ferrari in the parking lot of a certain mafia boss' mansion. His eyes traveled all over its body. His most favorite parts were clearly the strikingly stylish side air intakes. Then after seeing every inch of its stunning exterior, he peeked through the glass window to see its interior.

That was when he saw it.

A gaudy pink bag lying innocently on the elegant leather surface of the passenger seat.

What an eyesore, that was his immediate opinion. However, he did a double take when he suddenly felt that he had seen it before. It looked exactly the same as Caster's new handbag that he had seen once in passing this morning. And he had no doubt that no one else in their right mind would buy such an abomination. If the bag was hers then, could it be that this supercar...

No.

There was no way in hell that this sleek beauty was also hers. Her Master was very rich, but the girl would never trust her with enough money to buy a Ferrari.

Regardless, this discovery proved that the woman was somewhere within the area. With that thought in mind, Lancer turned around and looked at the large mansion standing not far away in the distance. It was then that he finally remembered that he was supposed to go there and locate a certain Archer...

/

A certain harmless priest shook his head in amusement as the host of the event awkwardly excusing himself after failing miserably in his attempt to exchange pleasantries with him. The old mafia boss never learned, it seemed, that he was just out of this priest's league. The same went for the rest of the guests here. None of the gathered pompous fiends in the mansion's lavish hall seemed to be smart enough to understand that this one random priest among them was not someone to be messed with. They would all see their error soon enough.

Unbeknownst to him, at the moment he was giving off a much darker aura than any of the Dead Apostles and the rest of the criminals in the room combined. Noticing this, his companion shook her head in disbelief.

Personally, the pretty 'black-haired sister' thought that the event was not so bad. No one bothered her, thanks to her excellent disguise. Perhaps she would even enjoyed herself. The infamous auction that was supposed to start after this little party seemed intriguing to her. And she was certainly looking forward to the ball that would be held at the end of the event.

Uh, not really.

It was pretty much obvious that the only person she wanted to have a dance with had no clue about dancing at all. How disheartening. Oh well, this place would sooner become a battlefield before it could hold any ball anyway.

No longer feeling good, Irisviel glanced over her surroundings in boredom. That was when her eyes widened. She quickly gave her sensei a hard slap to the back to get his attention.

"Sensei, look over there! That's Caster! What is she doing -" She gasped slightly. "Hey, she looked in our direction for a second there! Is she trying to pretend that she doesn't know us?! Urgh! That troublesome woman!"

Sure enough, there standing awkwardly in one corner of the hall, trying to avoid their eyes, was her Servant. The woman wore a fancy blue dress none of them had seen before. What was even more surprising, however, was the one in her company. The harmless priest here easily recognized the man in white suit, or to be more accurate, the Servant.

"Troublesome indeed. If I don't know any better, Irisviel, I would think she's betraying us."

"Huh? What do you mean?" She frowned then. "And it's Sister Lulu, sensei."

"Yes, _Sister Lulu_. The one in her company is none other than the edgy Archer I mentioned before. It seems like the 'happy couple' came here together."

"No way... Could it be that the edgy Archer is the probably not boyfriend of hers?"

"Most likely." He smiled warmly at this. "Remind me to have a talk with her later."

There it was again, the ominous dark aura.

"Sensei, please." She looked at him anxiously. "She's not betraying us..."

"Hmm, let Lancer decide then. His insight should be better than mine."

Then as if heeding the Master's words, the Servant all of a sudden appeared through the main entrance of the hall. His sharp eyes immediately scrutinized the vicinity. As if expecting his presence, the one he was supposed to locate leaned down slightly to kiss a certain someone. Target detected. Without hesitation, he strode across the hall, grabbed the target's collar from behind, and then launched the both of them up, breaking through the roof violently. It all happened in less than a minute, and everyone else could only stare in bewilderment.

For some reason, though, the brief show seemed to have made a certain girl's day.

"Ooh, he's jealous! I knew it! Lancer is normal, not twisted like you, sensei."

"Shut up, chubby." Oops...

That was supposed to stay in his mind only! But the damage had been done. For his impudence, he received such a cold stare from a pair of maroon eyes that made him go pale instantly.

He was dead. So dead.

Thus when a booming explosion reverberated from high in the sky and the place fell into chaos, he ran like a coward. Not from all the Dead Apostles, Blood Mages, or even useless mafia thugs, that began to make a move at once. But from a furious girl who was supposed to help him fighting off those troublesome fiends instead of trying to kill him herself.

/

The red and blue flames of the great explosion cleared after a while, revealing the two legendary heroes in their respective battle regalia. They just hovered there in the air after the initial clash, facing each other instead of starting their battle for real. It had been literally a lifetime after all. And last time, it was in a battlefield where they had their fated battle. An unfulfilling fight that in all honesty only brought shame to warriors of their caliber.

Now fate had given them another chance to seek a worthy closure to their intertwined sagas.

At least that was what in the great protagonist's mind. It had been a success, he thought. He was truly excited and somewhat smug that his destined rival had shown some emotions at last by initiating their clash so aggressively.

"Who would've thought that all it takes to raise your ire is just to take your woman, _Red Lancer_."

"... Woman?"

"Your new woman." Archer scowled. "The obnoxious pink Servant you've been involved with?"

"Caster was there?"

"Of course she was!" He scowled harder. "I kissed her, and you went ballistic because of it."

"Hmm, now that you mention it, I did saw a flash of pink... But you seem to be mistaken, err _Blue Archer_ now? I went overboard back there simply because I thought I was already behind schedule. Earlier, a beautiful blue Testarossa got me distracted for a bit."

"What?" Recognition came into his mind soon enough. "That is my car."

"Your taste has improved a lot then."

Unbelievable.

This couldn't be real. Archer felt somewhat stupid at that moment, and he despised it. More than that, he hated that his plan had been a failure. It actually sort of backfired. Instead of managing to rile up his rival, he in the end only got himself livid. But this wasn't over yet. He would give it one last shot.

"So, you're saying it had nothing to do with Miss Tama?"

"None."

"Tragic. Admittedly, I've been leading her on, pretending to like her, in the hope that you would be bothered enough by it to fight me seriously. Alas, it has been for nought. Now I feel rather sorry for her. Perhaps I could make it up for her by dedicating this upcoming victory to her. Or I could simply invite her to my bed later. I suppose that would be more than enough to please such an easy woman."

Cruel. Completely uncalled for.

Somehow Lancer felt a burning sensation in his chest at hearing the petty taunt. He first assumed it was only his Mana Burst going slightly haywire. But it was not possible. He always had complete control over himself. Thus this strange sensation could only be some sort of emotion.

Jealousy? Unfortunately no.

Possessiveness? Definitely no.

Protectiveness? Possibly.

It was not quite obvious, but also no secret either, that Lancer valued Caster greatly as a companion. The woman was surprisingly amazing in her own strange way. She also had no ill will toward others, and only seek to find happiness. Simple minded perhaps, but there was nothing wrong with that. She was innocent at heart. So she really didn't deserve to be deceived, manipulated, and used for such a petty intent.

He would defend her honor.

"If it's a serious fight you want, _Blue Archer_. You've troubled yourself over nothing." His spear was raised. "I never intend to give my opponents any less."

And for the first time in this lifetime, those normally cool blue eyes were ablaze.

The killing intent coming from Lancer was absolutely overwhelming. But it was exactly what Archer wanted to see. It was much better than seeing the peaceful smile the warrior gave him as he ended his life back then. He would not be denied of the glory he deserved this time.

Let their divine flames engulfed the night.

Unleashed.

There was no need for any warm up because the flaming devastation of Brahmastra Kundala heated up the sky battlefield in a blink of an eye. Most would've been eradicated in an instant, whether they were warriors, heroes, or even an entire army of them. But this Archer was definitely an exception. He managed to evade the great blast with no apparent problem, and not because he had some sort of sixth senses.

Flawless skills aside, it was pure intelligence. He had calculated everything to the point that he could already see how this battle would pan out.

In quick succession, flaming blue missiles left the string of Agni Gandiva. Each one of them flew in different trajectories until they converged on a single point, hitting the target from multiple directions. Blue flames of a great explosion painted the dark sky. Before it even died down, however, said target coated in Agni's red flame shot out of the raging inferno like a living missile.

Lancer emerged unscathed, or so he seemed. In actuality, the blue flames, despite unable to break through his invulnerability, had drained him considerably by eating through his own flames. However, he wouldn't have become a legendary hero if he let such a thing deter him.

A powerful swipe of Vasavi Shakti cut through the air, sending forth an arc of fiery energy. But Archer had read the attack quickly enough, and moved away in time. Almost instantly, he fired a pair of missiles before Lancer could spot him.

Again, blue flames erupted in the sky. Though smaller this time. And being quickly consumed from within by their red counterparts.

Soon, the new flames condensed to form numerous fiery spears, revealing a perfectly fine Lancer behind them. His eyes had found his opponent. Then with a flick of a finger, the entire conjured weapons were launched at once.

Having already seen the technique multiple times before, Archer immediately activated his own Mana Burst, coating his entire form in Agni's blue flame. His hands, never leaving his bow, fired his counter missiles with lightning speed. Even then, he didn't manage to intercept all of the approaching threats, and had to deal with the rest directly. Again with lightning speed, he swung his now blazing bow skillfully to deflect each one of them until there was nothing left.

That was when he doubled his guard.

The gleaming tip of a certain divine spear would've impaled him head on if only he hadn't positioned his own divine bow in time to block it. A shock-wave that could only be the result of the clash between Divine Constructs ensued. Archer had seen it coming, but the force of the blow was way too insane that it drove him backward, unable to move away. And thus for a moment there, he turned into an easy target.

In the distance, Lancer had already moved into position. The fingers of his right hand hovered over his eye, ready to unleash a Brahmastra, when he suddenly let out a sigh. His hand dropped then as he had to involuntarily change course of action.

Meanwhile, a triumphant smirk appeared on Archer's face. He just regained control of his movement. The offending weapon fell away, having been cast off carelessly. But his prediction had not missed at all.

The great Red Lancer had been drained of significant enough energy. He wouldn't be able to cast his offensive Noble Phantasms for some time. Another sigh escaped him then as he caught his spear.

To think that in the end, it had something to do with a woman...

What a surprise.

It was really not typical of Lancer to let his flames consume his mind in battles. It rarely happened, if ever. But his opponent this time had succeeded in raising his ire, and he failed to realized it sooner. The proof was apparent enough already with how uncharacteristically reckless he had been so far. This had to stop. Dealing with emotions was not as simple as he thought, but he couldn't afford letting this cloud his action any further.

He would've had much easier time actually, or at the very least better luck, in this particular battle had he been summoned as an Archer-class too. It was pretty much a given that to combat an Archer, a Lancer needed to have the mean to close the gap. And if the two had more or less the same speed like what had been shown in this battle, it was clear which one had the upper hand.

Oh well, let's just blame Shirou as usual.

/

The poor boy sneezed. No one knew for sure if it was caused by his Servant's not so kind thought on him or simply because he just suffered an overexposure of freezing spells. Oblivious of the former, he of course blamed the latter as he sent the girl walking beside him a sideways glance.

"You know, Iri- uh _Sister Lulu_." It would still be wise to be careful with her. "Your favoritism to ice-based spells is unhealthy."

"Unhealthy for you, you mean." She glared coldly. "And that was nothing. You may complain once you got some ice spikes on your back. I was just about ready to throw one at you actually, but then Sister Marian showed up. We couldn't just let her see me acting so barbaric, could we?"

"Yeah. Bless her."

"The Templar Knights too. They came to our aid so quickly that it gave me an opportunity to just hunt you down. Well, until Sister Mari came that is..."

"... You really wanted me dead... didn't you?"

"Obviously, sensei. I still kinda do, in fact."

Best to just drop the subject then.

They continued to walk deeper into the large mansion. The sound of battles weren't so loud now that they had entered the more private section of the complex building. It was more or less left unguarded after the Templars' sudden appearance. The people here seemed to be too busy trying to fight off those formidable holy knights, or running from them in some cases.

Suddenly, Irisviel remembered a certain someone from the party.

"Sensei, where's Caster? I haven't seen her since Lancer turned into a jealous 'Berserker' back there."

"How should I know? I was too busy running for my life, remember? Thanks to you."

"And I got angry thanks to you, stupid!" She huffed. "It's all your fault."

Again, best to just drop the subject.

This girl still wanted him dead, it seemed. And with her anger making a return, she decided to walk ahead of him a bit before stopping abruptly. There seemed to be a commotion in a large room just around the corner. She was about to look back and ask him what to do when he casually walked past her with his hands behind his back. She frowned slightly at this, but then shook her head before quietly following him.

What they found in the room were what appeared to be several elite Dead Apostles being thrashed effortlessly by a shield-wielding knight. Clearly, this was not an ordinary knight. His armor was more elaborate than the rests. The glowing shield in his hand also didn't seem to be a normal weapon.

Feeling kinda lost, Irisviel looked at her sensei again, only to find that he seemed to be enjoying the 'show'. When the last fiends in the room dropped dead to the floor soon later, he even clapped his hands lightly.

"Not bad, Sir Victor. Though I don't think you needed to carry Virtue Aegis with you to bully such lowlifes." He pointed at the shield. "Look, it has gotten dirty."

At hearing the rather familiar name, she finally realized that this was none other than the Knight-Commander of the Order. Then to her big surprise, the intimidating young knight suddenly knelt on one knee, facing them.

"Grandmaster Shirou, please forgive my carelessness. Rest assured, I will wash it myself as soon as I get the chance."

"No worries. Just be careful next time. It's a holy artifact after all."

"Understood." It was then that the knight noticed the 'sister' standing beside his 'superior'. "Sir, pardon me for asking, but who is this young lady?"

"Oh, she's Irisviel, but it'd be wise to call her _Sister Lulu_ for the time being."

And for a good reason. The _Sister_ in question seemed to be having enough of feeling lost.

"Hey you." She looked at the kneeling knight pointedly. "You're the Knight-Commander, right? Then why do you seem to worship this good for nothing priest? Why do you call him Grandmaster? Grandmaster of what? Lazy poor sods?"

It seemed like she was not about to get any answer, though. The knight could only look on in shock, unable to believe that someone, a dainty-looking one like her no less, dared to bully his terrifying superior. Fortunately, said superior decided to step in.

"That's a story for another time. Let's give Sir Victor a break, shall we? He has done well with his special task after all."

With that, he finally turned toward a nearly forgotten figure cowering in the corner. It was none other than their generous host. The pitiful mafia boss cowered further then when he walked up closer.

"Lord Shirou, I beg you... Spare me... I have no choice. I would never dare to intentionally cross you. I'm merely a pawn!"

"Oh? Who's behind this then?"

"No..." His eyes widened in panic. "I can't tell you... Forgive me!"

"I won't repeat myself, Moratti-san."

The usual _harmless_ smile was still in place, but the ominous dark aura had made a return. It was more than enough to make the old fool understand that he had no choice here either.

"Alright! I- I'll tell you, Lord Shirou. Spare me! The one who forced me to do it is -"

Suddenly, he screamed in agony.

They could only watch then as his whole form convulsed violently. It turned red quickly, and smokes came out as if he was being burned from the inside out. The scream only went louder. Thankfully, the priest quickly put him out of his misery with a Black Key to the heart. The horrific spectacle didn't stopped, however, not until there was nothing left but charred remains lying on the floor.

That was quite a surprise, but it took no time for Shirou to figure out what he had just seen.

"A curse. A highly lethal one at that. The one behind this had put it on him, and made it take effect immediately if he's about to reveal their identity." He turned toward his 'subordinate' then. "You know what to do with this mess, Sir Victor."

"Yes, Grandmaster."

"Good. I'll be on my way then. Send Sister Marian to me once I'm available." As he took his leave, he spared the other _sister_ a glance. "Come, _Sister Lulu_."

But she seemed to remember something important at the mention of her secret idol. Again, she gave the knight a pointed look.

"You seem to be good enough for Sister Mari. But you've got to stop worshiping my stupid sensei for me to give you my blessing."

The questionable sister turned around to follow her sensei then, leaving the poor knight in utter bewilderment. He shook his head quickly. There were still works to be done. Though he couldn't help but cringe when he suddenly heard a hard smack from the distance followed by the young lady scolding his most esteemed superior for taking the wrong turn.

Meanwhile, the pair continued on their search. The girl once again took the lead with the boy following meekly behind her. A safe distance away of course. He wouldn't risk getting additional bumps on the head. He couldn't complain, though. She was the one who could sense a Greater Grail's presence. As for him, he could only guessed that it was most likely being kept with the rest of the auctioned goods. And he was wrong. That was why he shouldn't go off on his own.

It was proven once they walked through heavy wooden double doors, and their gazes finally landed on the sight of a grand artifact in the back of a particularly lavish and large living room. However, there was someone standing, or in this case sitting leisurely in a plush armchair, between them and their objective.

The other enemy Servant. A big Saber with an even bigger name. The Roman's very own Caesar.

"When I heard that some special guests would present themselves here this evening, I didn't expect to see a pair of adolescents." He gave the male one a hard stare. "Take your girlfriend somewhere else, boy, before I lose my patience."

"Ah, I'm afraid I have no say in this. This 'girlfriend' of mine is the one in charge actually, and she's quite stubborn. Please pardon our intrusion."

"Submitting to your own woman, I see. How pitiful." With a sigh, the Servant stood up from his seat. "Don't say I didn't warn you, boy!"

And perhaps the pair really needed to take more heed to the warning. Because suddenly, out of nearby walls emerged four hulking stone golems. The girl who seemed to have been lost in her dreamland after being assumed to be the boy's girlfriend, shrieked in surprise at this. The boy, however, remained unfazed. No Saber could possibly create those golems, thus there had to be another enemy lurking around. He already had a good guess of who it could be, but decided to save this thought for later. It was time for battle after all.

Stepping forward, he looked back for a second at his so called girlfriend.

"You take care of those stone baddies, _Sister Lulu_. They'd keep you busy for a bit."

"... Really, sensei?" She scowled. "You want me to deal with four big golems while you confront some random fat guy?! Humph! What a gentleman you are."

/

A barrage of flaming blue missiles soared through the night sky. Unlike the deadly shots, it meant to overwhelm. And it was a strategic decision because the target had resorted to speed and skillful evasions for shots to be effective no matter how accurate they were.

This was what the great Red Lancer had resorted to just to survive the Blue Archer unrelenting onslaught after having his energy burned out literally. He had been trying to replenish his reserves with the natural mana in the surrounding air for a while now, but it still took time. Therefore, to not make matter worse for him, he had no choice but to focus on not getting hit by those blue flames. He was well aware that his current form of invulnerability would be cancelled eventually if he suffered any more of them. And it was something that his opponent seemed to know as well.

Of course, things would've gone differently were they the real Karna and Arjuna. After all, for legendary heroes of their caliber, their Servant forms had to come with plenty of limitations in powers and abilities compared to their original selves to fit the class system. The difference between the two, however, was how the latter managed to use these whole limitations to his full advantage.

The legendary bowman was truly a genius in combat and warfare, even his most esteemed rival admitted that. He had even successfully made the impossibly stoic hero lose his composure even just temporarily. And it was the most important factor in his strategy to win this battle. He was ready to end it any moment now, but before that, there was still something he needed to say to his rival.

"It is truly ironic that you, the ultimate hero, always serve the foulest of villains."

The statement came out of nowhere, but it paused the intense battle for a moment, and inadvertently, allowed Lancer a chance to return to his normal self.

"Perhaps. That might be true for Duryodhana, but Shirou is different. He is merely twisted. In fact, despite being his actual Servant, he doesn't treat me as one at all. That's why I can say for certain that this time, I serve no one."

"Interesting. If it's true that you're not doing all of this to serve him, however, what do you think you're doing then?"

It surprised Archer then when Lancer smiled contently.

"I'm helping my friends."

The answer caught the former off guard, and it displeased him that he didn't feel like he was in complete control anymore. On the contrary, the latter finally regained his full composure as he remembered the ones he had come to hold dear.

Two in particular were so important to Lancer that the word friends was not enough.

It had come simply natural for him to see both Shirou and of course Irisviel as little siblings that he had to protect.

He found it truly ironic then that he couldn't see this person before him, someone who actually shared blood with him, the same way no matter how hard he tried. Perhaps their mother had been doing her best to keep the truth from them really for a reason. All things about fate aside, it just seemed right that the two of them were on the opposing sides.

They were truly ideal enemies, there was no need to deny it.

It was then that the Heroic Spirit Karna realized that he just found a closure that he had never thought he needed. And it energized him.

Brahmastra was ready.

This alone would still not be enough, however. This was without a doubt one of the greatest weapons to ever exist. But for Servant use, the Noble Phantasm versions of the world destroying Divine Construct had to be toned down a great deal. As a Lancer-class, he didn't even possess it physically. Though in return, he gained much more flexibility in its usage.

Right then, he was reminded of his battle with the great Saber he had considered as a true rival, in particular, how the warrior fought as one with his blade.

With that in mind, he looked into Brahmastra's power within him, calling it. But instead of firing it right away through his eye or his spear as he usually did, he tried to attune it with his body. This time, he didn't intend to use it as a weapon. And it seemed that he succeeded as his whole form glowed with a reddish aura. It was only for a brief moment, however, because he immediately released it behind him with a blast.

And he was gone.

Archer's gaze was still locked on the resulting shock-wave of the condensed blast. He actually saw what was happening, but he just couldn't react fast enough. Lancer had actually used the blast to propel himself forward with such an unimaginable speed. It was too fast even for legendary beings like them. Archer still managed to avoid the death judgement somehow, but the fearsome golden spear tore off his left leg.

There was no scream, not even a grimace. Such things were pointless for warriors of their caliber. The battle was not yet over. The bowman's mind was already running fast again. He deemed then that his opponent's invulnerability had been weakened enough by his blue flames.

It was time to end it.

Coming to a decision, Archer soared high as if to reach the stars above before falling into a stance, a missile imbued with Pashupata's power at the ready.

Another shock-wave occurred below, signaling that Lancer had used Brahmastra's power to propel himself again.

Archer didn't entrust everything to his sight this time. Instead, he had calculated the timing, the milliseconds time he needed to react. When it finally came, he let the gravity took him, and used his fall to considerably boost his speed. Nothing hit him, as he predicted. A triumphant smile graced his features then as he fell into a horizontal position with his divine bow trained on the unsuspecting Lancer above.

And fired.

The ensuing great explosion was different from before. Instead of Agni's blue flames, the dark sky was engulfed by blinding bluish light of Shiva's wrath.

Moments later, the Heroic Spirit Arjuna saw out of the corner of his eye a golden gleam of an unmistakable divine spear as it fell from above. What a beautiful sight. He kept his gaze on it, knowing that he had achieved the truest victory at last.

Wrong.

All of a sudden, Archer's eyes bulged out in shock, blood spluttered out of his mouth, as a golden armored foot crashed down to his chest. Lancer, protected by Brahmastra's reddish aura, had dived down without warning out of the explosion. And now, he forced the both of them to descend rapidly from the high sky with his foot pinning down his helpless opponent under it.

It was like a falling meteor.

Their mad crash onto the large backyard of the mansion created a crater half the size of the field itself. A shock-wave blew through the surrounding area, but neither of them moved. It was only a few moments later that Lancer, with a resigned sigh, finally looked up.

And his eyes widened instantly.

Caster was there hunching down at the edge of the crater. She looked heartbroken as her eyes found Archer's lifeless and badly damaged form dematerialized under an armored foot. Then she looked up slowly. And what Lancer saw in those familiar golden eyes made his eyes widened further.

Flames.

More flames, real flames, engulfed Caster's body then as she transformed into her full Servant form. And beyond those flames, something was revealed.

 **Fourth** tail.

/

It just seemed so strange that out of nowhere, some kind of meteor suddenly decided to fall here when the place was already too chaotic as it was. But Irisviel didn't care. She was just glad for the distraction because it refrained her from murdering her sensei in cold blood.

She felt beyond angry at this point. And it wasn't particularly because the grail here turned up to be fake.

No.

What actually made her want to pound her good for nothing sensei to dead started when he made her fight four big golems at once. That was mean, but she just quietly told herself that it might mean that he had come to trust her capability. So she agreed. But when she noticed that in less than a minute he had already killed the fat guy, but then instead of helping her, he just sat there in the plush armchair and watched her struggle, all hell broke lose. Enraged, she made sure the stone baddies' body parts rained down upon him as she decimated them.

He ran away hastily then after telling her that the grail was fake. It felt like he was trying to rub salt in her wound! At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to hunt him down like the filthy animal he was.

Then the whole meteor thing happened.

Now here she was, in the backyard. She eagerly headed to the crater to check out the so called meteor. And froze at what she found instead.

This just didn't make sense...

Caster... flames all over her body... attacking... Lancer?

This wasn't a fight, though.

Even though Caster looked madly furious, Lancer remained impassive but looked somewhat lost. He just stood there, swatting her away almost unconsciously with a bare hand each time she came at him with a full-blown killing intent, again and again. Somehow, she seemed to have become faster, stronger, but with such unrefined skills, still far from Lancer's level. Even then, that didn't seem to matter to her. She acted on instinct alone. Her eyes, entirely red, were burning with anger and hatred. It was a sharp contrast to his that despite the ever present calmness, seemed to be filled with... sadness.

This was just so wrong.

Irisviel didn't like this at all. She winced as she saw her Servant once again crashed to the ground, but she still stepped forward. She had to stop this.

"Caster, what are you doing?! Stop!"

There was no answer.

Caster only got up before coming at Lancer again. Her Master turned toward him then.

"Lancer, what is this?! Make her stop, please..."

"I'm sorry, Iris... I have no say in this matter."

This was maddening.

And to Irisviel's frustration, the one she knew could solve this was not here with her when needed.

"Where's that stupid sensei of mine?! Urgh! I swear he's only ever with me when not needed."

Did she really need to find him and drag his lazy ass here?

Yes, she begrudgingly admitted. Just as she was about to get started, however, her eyes fell on the symbol on the back of her left hand. Oh, damn her good for nothing sensei. This would do.

"I'm already angry, Command Spell! You better work." She looked back at her still mad Servant then. "I told you to stop, you troublesome woman!"

Good Command Spell.

Caster slumped onto the ground immediately, looking defeated. Her flames died down as she did. Seeing this, her Master ran toward her right away before wrapping delicate arms around her worn out body. And soon after, tears started to fall.

* * *

 ** **Damn.** I really gave our fox lady an additional tail, didn't I? Oh well, let's just expect Shirou to present us with some analysis later. And if it still doesn't make sense, just blame him as usual.**


	15. training

**Time to bully Shirou! Again!**

 **15**

* * *

"Irisviel, let me in, please! I'm sorry, okay? _Sister Lulu_?"

Again, his plea went ignored. He had lost count of how many times he had tried.

Yes, the 'harmless' and 'innocent' Father Shirou Kotomine had been locked out of his own humble abode for more than an hour that night.

Not only that.

He had to return home by foot earlier because a certain sassy lady had literally kicked him out of a moving car, his car, on their way home from the chaotic auction. It was bad enough that she had been the one driving, but to see her leave the driver seat just to kick him out of the front passenger seat was more than enough to give him a nightmare.

So, what had he done wrong?

Lazily watching her fight four hulking golems alone from a comfy armchair came to mind. But he had a good reason for that. He just wanted to see her progress. That alone couldn't justify this kind of treatment.

So, what had he done wrong to deserve this?

Everything had turned out relatively well in his opinion.

Unlike how they had come, the team had left together. He had even let her drive to not anger her further. She looked so moody there. It was understandable. But the Servants too, even Lancer, looked moody somehow. So as they left, he decided to ask about it. His Servant was the only one cooperative enough to give him some explanation. He couldn't help but laugh, though, when he heard that the pair of Servants had gotten into a fight just because the Lancer-class one had killed the Caster-class one's so called boyfriend.

The next thing he knew, he got kicked out of his own car whilst it ran at high speed. Thus he walked all the way home with a sore body. After that, he found that he had been locked out of his own house.

And now, his throat hurt from excessive shouting/begging.

He needed to improvise.

He looked up then at the window of his bedroom in the second floor, seeing light coming from within.

This would do.

Getting ready, he quickly jumped high to land quietly right on top the small roof near the window. A smug smile formed on his features at his success. Then as sneakily as possible, he opened the glass window. The smile turned even smugger when no one noticed him, still. Surely the girls had already been asleep, he thought. So without further hesitation, he eagerly moved to enter through the window.

His eyes widened instantly. His mouth agape.

And his sins once again doubled.

A long dark ponytail fell down a smooth pale back... A pair of dainty hands reached behind to undo the clasp of an expensive-looking bra... The lacy garment was gone soon enough... And for a brief second, the flawless skin was on full display until the one it belonged to turned around... to reveal...

Blood spurted out of his nose even before the following hard kick landed right on his face. In that brief moment, he saw a lovely face snarling at him.

"DIE PERVERT!"

The window slammed closed immediately after that, hard enough to crack the glass, as he fell helplessly to the ground.

Again, what had he done wrong to deserve this?

Pretty much nothing.

Well, not really, but he couldn't care less anymore. He just let his edginess consume him again until his 'edgelord mode' made a return.

Quickly fixing his broken nose, Shirou with full-on edgy aura got back to his feet. It seemed that nothing could stop him then as he kicked the locked front door open. The menacing pace of his steps continued on as he walked through the dark interior of his house up to the second floor until he stood before the closed door to his room.

There was only one thought in his mind.

He would at last put the 'little bitch' on her place.

Before he could kick the door open, however, it opened from within. He was ready to lash out then and perhaps return a bit all the abuse he had suffered lately. Too bad for him, though, all his guts abandoned him abruptly when he found a pair of cold maroon orbs.

Said 'little bitch' was there before him, wearing a nightgown the same color as her scary eyes.

No more edgelord.

He felt as helpless as a bunny now. His instincts were all telling him to run for his life. Unfortunately, he found his back without him knowing it already pressed against the cold wall behind him. Too late. He had nowhere to run now...

But NO!

He would not back down.

Not this time.

He, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, would not back down from this dainty little thing before him. Thus, even though he felt his feet shaking, he opened his mouth.

"Hi there... Irisviel... Nice to see you?"

"Sensei..." Her eyes narrowed menacingly. "You saw my boobs, didn't you?"

"Uh... There was nothing to see?"

"Excuse me?! Are you implying that I'm flat?!"

"No! Yours look much bigger without a bra -" Oops...

His mouth fell shut immediately in horror, but it was too late.

"Ha!" Her eyes narrowed further. "So you did see them, you good for nothing pervert!"

Here came the killing blow...

He closed his eyes quickly, cowering in fear. Though after a minute of nothing, he began to wonder. As far as he could remember, death was not this painless. He carefully opened his eyes then.

The scary girl still stood there, but there was no more anger in her eyes, leaving only desperation somehow.

"Sensei..." She bit her lip uncertainly. "Help me talk to Caster, please?"

"... Eh? I- I mean, sure!"

And so the pair entered the room together.

The aforementioned Servant was there sitting quietly on the cheap bed, somber look on her tears-stained face. She didn't look at them. Well, she apparently hadn't tried to do anything, not even change out of the now tattered and burnt blue dress. Her tails were the only things that still bothered to move, swaying around lazily...

One... Two... Three... Four...

Four?!

A pair of sharp golden eyes immediately focused on those four fluffy tails.

There were really four, not three like normal...

The one those eyes belonged to couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't noticed it earlier. But it didn't matter. His mind already started to think of a possible explanation behind this phenomena, and more importantly, all the potential he could exploit with it.

A not so innocent smile began to form on his face then. But it only lasted until a familiar stinging slap suddenly hit said face.

"Ow! What was that for, Irisviel?"

"Don't play innocent with me when you have your 'scheming villain look' on!" Her even scarier eyes narrowed in warning. "I swear if you plan anything funny with Caster I would slap you to dead, you evil priest!"

Then surprisingly, there was a chuckle... coming from the Servant.

"Go Iris... Kill him."

"Caster... I'm so glad you're okay, you troublesome woman!"

The two quickly stumbled on the bed, hugging each other desperately.

"I'm so sorry, Iris! And -" A sniffle. "Thank you! Thank you for caring about me so! I don't deserve you!"

"Of course you do!"

"Then marry me! Kill the stupid brat already!"

"I can't! I'm still not done with him!"

Oh God...

Not only had the conversation turned disturbingly personal, it appeared that the girl still planned to abuse him. He had to get away whilst he still could. Thus, taking advantage of the two still being engrossed in each other, he turned around to make an escape.

Only to fail immediately.

"Where are you going, sensei?" Scary maroon orbs pinned him down in place. "I brought you here for a reason. So stop being useless, and start speaking!"

"... Speak what, Irisviel?"

"Anything!"

"Uh..."

Surprisingly, it was the Servant who intentionally or not made it easier for him.

"Just tell me why your Servant seems to know my boy- I mean the Archer Servant, you stupid brat."

"Of course." His fake smile returned as he loosened up a bit. "You two have heard about the story their legends come from, right? The Mahabharata?"

Pink and black hair shook from side to side as the two on the bed shook their heads.

"Seriously..." He sighed tiredly. "It's unappealing for young ladies to be this unknowledgeable, you know."

"SENSEI!"

"Okay! Okay, I'm sorry."

"Just tell us something already!"

"Okay! They're brothers."

Bright golden and cold maroon pairs of eyes looked at him as if he was dumber than his own car.

"It's true! They had the same mother."

"If you say so, sensei..."

"Just listen." He took a deep calming breath. "Their mother who abandoned Karna when he was still a newborn had been keeping this a secret all their lives. Near his end, she told him the truth, but only to persuade him not to harm Arjuna and his other half brothers."

Again, unexpectedly, it was the female Servant who gave him an easier time. She seemed to believe his words.

"So cruel... So that's why he's mean to me most of the time. I guess I remind him of his mother..."

Now it was her turn to be stared at as if she was dumber than their pet car.

"Caster..." Her Master frowned at her. "Lancer is never mean to you intentionally."

"That's right." The other Master frowned as well. "And you so don't remind him of his mother."

Hearing that, her mouth opened in wonderment.

"True... He wouldn't have mounted me all night long back then if I reminded him of her."

For obvious reason, the not so innocent remark made the pair of adolescent in the room blush madly. Thankfully, the male one regained his cool soon enough. It would be best if he kept speaking. They desperately needed a change of subject here.

"Anyway." He cleared his throat. "Despite all the injustices, our friend had never hold any envy, grudge, or hatred. Perhaps his mother didn't love him. Perhaps his brothers hated him. Perhaps the fate cursed him. But he paid them no mind. He kept on fighting and struggling. And he would keep doing so as long as there's still light in his life. He live with no regret!"

Despite his apparent passion, none of his listeners looked impressed. Instead, they began to whisper to each other.

"Hey, Iris... Am I the only one thinking that he looked a bit too passionate there when he talked about his Servant?"

"No. I noticed it too. Suspicious."

"Perhaps they two secretly have an affair?"

A gasp left the innocent one's mouth.

"... You think so?!"

A white eyebrow twitched.

"That is NOT true. For the record, both Lancer and I are perfectly straight."

A black eyebrow rose.

"You sure, sensei?"

"YES. Besides..." He looked even more passionate then. "I, Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, in my whole existence, only ever love none other than Lumina-chan!"

Uh oh.

Those cold but beautiful maroon eyes turned misty... Those stiff but gentle lips quivered... Those proud but delicate shoulders trembled...

The boy could only look in panic at the girl's sudden 'strange' behavior. Seeing this, the Servant held back a groan before pulling the poor girl into a hug, all the while glaring at the impossibly dense boy.

"Shoo! Get out, you!"

"A- Alright." He began to walk out but then stopped briefly. "Please wake up early tomorrow, though! I have a new plan for all of us."

/

Warm early morning light slowly but surely chased away the thick fog in the air, revealing the large expanse of a green field. Birds began to sing as they basked in the wondrous light of a new day. But they all stopped abruptly in terror as the roar of hundreds horsepower engine disrupted the serene scenery. A crimson silhouette of a metal beast came into the picture soon later. It sped wildly through the small road to the field. The powerful roar only grew louder until it mixed with the screeching sound of tires. And soon enough...

BAM!

The red BMW M5 crashed against the metal fence surrounding the field. Immediately, a white-haired boy got out of the front passenger door to check on the car's front end. And it was again the warm early morning light that exposed the tears gathering in his miserable golden eyes. Seeing this, a girl with long black ponytail rolled her own maroon eyes as she got out of the driver door.

"Stop crying, sensei! I'll pay for the repair."

"You..." The teary boy turned toward her slowly. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Maybe I wouldn't have to do that if only you didn't force me to come to this boring place. I'd much rather go shopping with Sister Mari."

"I told you Sister Marian is busy today. Besides, you need to up your training again, _Sister Lulu_ , if you don't want to get even more chubby."

This time, instead of the roar of a powerful engine, a shrill 'banshee' scream forced all the remaining birds in the vicinity to flee. Said banshee with black ponytail was ready to bath with the stupid boy's blood. Thankfully, a fox-like woman and a rockstar-like man got out of the rear passenger doors in time to refrain her from committing an early morning murder.

"Easy there, Iris!" The woman hugged the girl's arm tightly. "It's too early to go after his blood."

"It's not worth it, Iris. He would be an easy kill for you." The man patted her shoulder before turning toward the almost dead boy. "You'd better start to explain yourself, Shirou, or I would take her place. You wouldn't be an easy kill for me, would you?"

One against three.

Knowing that he stood no chance at all, Shirou raised his hands in surrender.

"This is the Order's private training field." Here, he smiled somewhat proudly. "I've told Sir Victor that we'll be using it for the day. Isn't that great?"

"Perhaps. But why did you force Iris to come if she didn't want to?"

"I didn't force her! She eagerly agreed to come once I mentioned that she could drive."

"You just exploited her thirst for driving then. Shame on you, Shirou." Lancer shook his head in disapproval. "Regardless, why did you insist for her to come?"

"She needs to train too." He looked back at the girl desperately. "Not because you're chubby or anything, Irisviel. I just think it would be good for you to master your uh frosty sword as soon as you can."

Cold maroon eyes narrowed instantly.

"It's Arc Divider, stupid!"

Thankfully, before it got worse, Caster's grip on her Master's arm tightened as she looked at the girl in wonderment.

"Ooh?! You have a new technique, Iris?"

"Yes. And you would've known it already, Caster, if only you've accompanied me even once in my training instead of napping!"

"Sorry, Iris... But I want to see it now! Please... Show me!"

That seemed to finally calm down the angry girl. With a huff, she shrugged off the pair of Servants by her sides before walking into the field. They all shared a brief look before following her silently.

Soon later, Irisviel stopped, and raised her right hand high. Freezing breeze gathered above her as she did. It didn't take long then for shards of ice to appear, more and more, until they all combined to form a massive glittering blade. It hovered above her somehow, defying gravity.

The majestic Arc Divider.

The Servants, even the Lancer-class one, stared in awe. In fact, a proud smile appeared on his normally impassive face as he figured out something interesting about the gigantic but beautiful icy weapon.

"It greatly resembles a Noble Phantasm..." He glanced at his Master then. "Do you have anything to say about this, Shirou?"

"Precisely." The boy also smiled proudly. "It is more of a pseudo Noble Phantasm than a magical construct. I personally used my knowledge as a Ruler-class to design it. And as you can see, it's a success. That huge chunk of ice is practically as hard as diamond. Despite its size, though, Irisviel should be able to move it freely with a flick of her hand. It might look overkill for such a delicate girl, I know. But it really suits her in my opinion with how brutish she actually -"

Wham!

The tip of the aforementioned 'huge chunk of ice' suddenly cleaved the ground deep, missing the stupid boy who had moved away just in time by a couple of inches. However, despite almost getting sliced in half, he smiled at the girl in return.

"Good demonstration, Irisviel. You still missed, though. So perhaps you should start your training now."

A moment of tense silence passed. Then with another huff, the girl and her gigantic blade walked away. Worried, her Servant was about to follow her. But the boy had another plan, it seemed.

"Caster, please stay here. You're the one who needs this training session the most after all."

"What now, stupid brat?!" She huffed just like her Master. "I'm a Heroic Spirit! I have no use for training. And unlike you, I'm good for Iris as I am already."

"Perhaps." The 'harmless' smile made a return. "But as I recall, you haven't done a single thing to protect your Master so far. And when it comes to it, you would be a disappointment as you currently are now. Even you know that."

Savage.

It was times like this that even Lancer could experience something close to fear. He chanced a glance at his fellow Servant then, only to see the woman looking down both in fear and shame. He felt a slight sense of protectiveness came over him again somehow, thus he decided to intervene.

"It would save time if you just start explaining your plan now, Shirou."

"Of course." The smile softened slightly. "It has anything to do with Caster's now four-tailed state. It admittedly has come as quite a surprise to me. As far as I know, it's unheard of for Servants to evolve. But I suppose, in our Caster's case, it's more about unleashing a potential. How it happened, though, I could only guess. It might have something to do with an overexposure of divine flames even from afar during your battle with the edgy Archer. Her rage that followed afterwards only acted as a trigger."

The event was still not a particularly comfortable subject to discuss, so it was best to focus on the important point here.

"Are you saying it has awakened further her divinity?"

"Correct. Though, we should focus more on the fact that her fourth tail has come with a type of Mana Burst not unlike yours, Lancer."

Mana Burst (Flame), and of divine kind at that.

"Is it safe to assume that I'm also here for a reason then?"

"Yes, my friend. And as you might already guessed now, I want you to use your mastery in that ability to help Caster develop hers."

This got said Servant's attention, and she looked up in panic for some reason.

"Wait! I can do it alone. Oh, I will train with Iris! Please..."

"That's out of the question, Caster. I will not let any personal problem jeopardize our plan." The Master looked back at his Servant then. "As for you, Lancer, you will teach her the basics like how to fly with her new ability. But most of all, make her learn Brahmastra Kundala by the end of this day."

No one had expected to hear that. Lancer in particular looked doubtful.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Shirou. You know well enough of Brahmastra's nature as a one of a kind Divine Construct."

"You seem to get the wrong idea, Lancer. It's not about Brahmastra per se. It's more about how you combine the power of the Divine Construct with your Mana Burst. In this case, I want you to teach Caster how to combine her own Mana Burst with her offensive spell as a Caster-class Servant."

It made sense now.

The two Servants could not possibly disobey. Unbeknownst to them, however, the scheming Master also expected that with this special training plan of his, their personal problem would be solved by the end of the day.

/

A TV-sized fireball soared through the green field, ready to destroy anything in its path, but then a leather-gloved hand swatted it away like it was just a harmless volleyball.

How anticlimactic.

Even so, the one with the now singed leather glove thought that his 'attacker' deserved a credit.

"Well done, Caster. I'm impressed that you actually have such a big mouth to produce a fireball of that size out of it."

It was a compliment. The little insult there was unintentional.

Scratch that!

If it was any other day in the past, back when things were so simple, Caster would've lashed out immediately because she was sure as hell that it was pretty much a direct insult. Sadly, things were so different now, awkwardly different, at least to her. Thus for the umpteenth time that day, she tried not to take all his insults to heart.

She had been trying her best to behave like a real adult here. And it had not been so bad, she supposed.

Since it had been too awkward for her to fool around like usual, she pretty much had no choice but to pay attention to all the lessons. It had come as a surprise to her, however, to find that she was actually rather talented. She had learned to hover with her flames pretty well the first couple of hours of her training, and then successfully practiced the flame recovery skill to heal a small scratch the next hour. It all felt simply natural for her somehow.

Now here, only about an hour after lunch break, she had actually managed to cast her very first and very own mini Brahmastra Kundala!

It felt good to her surprise, enough that as she wiped her still slightly smoking mouth clean, she couldn't help but look at her trainer with an awkward smile.

He stood there with his deadpan look as usual. But now that her anger was nearly all gone, and after hearing bits of his story last night, she had started to see him in a new light. She could understand that just like her, he too had felt hurt and unwanted. This made it easier for her to relate to him despite their contrasting differences. But most of all, this little understanding made her want to understand him more.

She braced herself then as she nervously walked up to him.

"That was pretty awesome, huh? Did you use such a thing but much bigger to kill my boyfriend?"

Ouch.

Caster winced as soon as the words left her mouth. She really didn't mean to say it like that. Thankfully enough, as usual, Lancer didn't seem to mind.

"No. As you could see that night, I killed him with the sole of my greave."

"Oh..." She didn't know what to say until a look of sadness settled on her face. "Did you really have to do that? I mean, now I know he was the enemy and all, but did you really have to kill him?"

"Despite Shirou's order, I actually had a say in that matter. He didn't force me to kill Blue Archer, but in the end, I personally decided that I must."

"But why?! He was your brother!" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "He was like the heroes in fairy tales! He was so nice to me, and sweet too..."

"The fact that he was my brother is irrelevant. I don't know about fairy tales heroes, thus that too is irrelevant, I supposed. What matters to me is the fact that he had been using my comrade without feeling sorry until the end."

Bright golden eyes widened in surprise and disbelief.

"W- What are you saying... Lancer?"

"It is understandable that you have not been aware of this. But Blue Archer himself had admitted in our battle that he had been using you to gain information about the rest of us. For some reason, he seemed somewhat proud of it, even going as far as making fun of of your worth."

This time, her mouth hung open in shock.

She felt like a complete idiot now. She couldn't believe that she had been so desperate for love that she couldn't see that she had been used in such a way. She felt horrible that she had endangered her closed ones just for a man.

"I hate them. I hate them all! Men are worthless!" Tears finally fell down her face, but she laughed openly. "I would totally go for Iris now. She's awesome! And she looks so kick-ass now with that new hairdo! All I need is just to convince her to finally kill that good for nothing sensei of hers."

" **No**."

"... Eh?"

"Mark my words, Caster. I would personally end anyone who dare to get in between Iris and Shirou. You're no exception."

Seriously...

With face turning pale, Caster looked slowly and carefully at Lancer. The deadpan look was still there unsurprisingly enough. But as she took a better look at him, she could spot a strangely happy glint in his blue eyes. This made her frowned because the threat in his words earlier was pretty much clear. She turned toward where he was looking then to find out what made him look this... happy.

And what she saw was something that honestly shouldn't have been a surprise.

It was the sight of her Master chasing around his Master across the field with the angry girl's gigantic blade hovering above ready to kill the stupid boy.

Now, she understood his feelings, and couldn't help but smile.

"The kids are both so lucky to have you as a big bro." She glanced back at him. "You're so protective of them, aren't you? Karna-oniichan~"

"I am."

This time, he smiled for real. It was a small smile alright, though a very real one. It was wonderful. But for some reason, it also made her feel dejected.

"You know..." Her smile turned bitter. "I know I don't deserve it after all my idiocy, but I would give anything to see you extend such protectiveness to me too..."

"That one time I felt a semblance of protectiveness for you, I nearly got myself killed."

"... Eh?!"

"When Blue Archer degraded your honor, I was overcome with a strange sense of anger. It was surprisingly enough to make me lose my composure for once. And it allowed him to gain the upper hand. He got even close to end me for the second time."

That was not what she expected to hear, like at all...

She didn't know what to say. She was genuinely touched, really touched, to hear that he had actually fought to defend her honor. But there was something that saddened her too at the same time.

"I'm sorry..." Her tears began to fall again. "I always bring nothing but bad luck."

"Perhaps. But now that I think about it, I still regret nothing. There's nothing wrong with dying if it's for the cause you believe. And, Caster?" He turned toward her then, and surprisingly with a kind smile. "You are worth fighting and dying for."

Uh oh.

This was bad, seriously bad.

This was the worst!

There was nothing worse than falling in love this badly only to know that it would forever remain unrequited...

/

It was almost evening by the time Irisviel's latest rampage ended. The light but still pretty much bloody gash that tore across the back of her sensei's black shirt satisfied her enough at last. Served him right for calling her 'chubby killer whale' when she wasn't looking for just a second. Besides, it also proved that her control of her new technique had improved. And he couldn't disagree with that as he, with his mouth wisely shut this time, walked behind her.

They both had agreed to check out on their Servants, though none of them expected what they found once they got close enough.

"O' Karna, Curse You!"

Over and over.

Big fireballs flew out of Caster's mouth again and again with her obnoxious shouts. Somehow, her Master thought it was impressive.

"Wow Caster! Is that the Mini Brahmastra Kundala you mentioned to me earlier?"

"Yes, Iris! It is Bakarna Kundala."

Grinning proudly, she didn't notice that they once again looked at her as if she was dumber than their pet car.

They turned toward Lancer then, only to find that he seemed to be busy staring at Caster's behind so intently. And this apparent interest in his gaze made the female Servant's Master smirk knowingly.

"Hm? Do you find something interesting about Caster's butt, Lancer?"

"Her tails..."

This got said Servant's attention, but he didn't seem to care as he continued carefully.

"The new one is about an inch shorter than the rest..."

Tick. Tick. Tick.

And here it was!

After so long, they finally heard Caster's frustrated scream again.

Laughing freely, the pair of Masters looked at each other in relief. It felt good to see that everything had gone back to normal. They could go back as a team again at last. And now Irisviel could go home too!

"Sensei." She outstretched her hand at him. "Give me Akane's key. It's time to go home now."

"No. You will not drive ever again."

"What did you say?!"

Her apparent anger made him hesitate slightly, but he was determined to stand his ground this time.

"No. We will not go home yet."

"But why?! I so need a bath." She pointed at her slightly bloodstained shirt. "Look! You've gotten me dirty with your blood."

"And you blame me for that?!"

Thankfully, before another brutal abuse ensued, big bro Lancer decided to step in.

"You never learn, Shirou. Just explain to Iris why you refuse to go home."

"Please don't make me seem like a child, Lancer. I just think that it's now my turn to train."

"That sounds rather childish..."

"I mean it! And I really need Irisviel for this."

Uh oh.

The girl in question felt herself blushing. Her heart skipped a beat when he said he needed her. It was enough to compel her old sweet self to make a return even just a moment as she looked at him with a shy smile.

"W- What do you need me for, sensei?"

"Oh thank God you understand, Irisviel!" He returned the smile. "I need your help to try a secret Noble Phantasm."

"... Oh? And what is it called?"

"Big Crunch."

Her smile slowly dropped then.

"That sounds like some brand of cereal..."

She wasn't alone in thinking this. Just like her, the Servants gave her stupid sensei dirty looks. Lancer in particular seemed absolutely disappointed.

"If you plan to exploit her again, Shirou, at least take some effort to name this so called 'Noble Phantasm' of yours."

"I'm serious! It is Twin Arm - Big Crunch, or Zero-Order Convergence."

The poor boy looked around desperately. Thankfully for him, after a moment, his sweet yet scary beloved decided to give him the benefit of a doubt.

"Fine. I'll hear you out." She sighed tiredly. "Don't start crying, sensei."

Oh God...

He really felt like crying now. But for the sake of those pitiful remains of his dignity, he would face this unfairness with a straight face.

"This Noble Phantasm has never been utilized before because I cannot perform it with my own power alone. It requires me to connect with a powerful magical artifact to help me gather the needed magical energy from nearby leylines." He looked her in the eyes then. "And you Irisviel, I can think of no one else but you who can help me with this, what with your nature as a Lesser Grail."

 _I can think of no one else but you _...__

That was basically the only thing that registered in the girl's mind somehow. She could only wonder then if she was in her dreamland when he took her hand. A silly smile appeared on her face. She was more than willing to let him do anything to her at this moment. Though all he did was only pulling her away a bit from the others before his hand left hers. She couldn't help but sigh in disappointment, already missing the warmth.

The dense boy frowned slightly at her strange behavior, but then quickly brushed it off as just another mood swings of hers.

"Now, Irisviel. To establish a connection, I'm afraid some physical contacts are necessary, so uh..." He looked down slightly in embarrassment. "Since both of my hands would be preoccupied for this, we have no choice but to expect you to uh, you know... touch me?"

"W- What?" She blushed again. "Touch you, sensei?"

"Yes?" He chuckled awkwardly. "It's not like you've never touched me before..."

"... Does uh slapping your face count?"

How could she ask such a question so innocently? Just how?

He didn't know if he should feel bitter or miserable. Though in his experience, it would be best to just pretend that he hadn't heard anything. With a sigh, he turned around then, his back to her.

"Just put your hands on my shoulders." He glanced back at her slightly. "You at least have the decency to not go out of your way to slap me if you can't see my face, don't you?"

Oh, he really tempted her to give him a good bitchslap for that one. Though she eventually relented with just a bit of huff. It wouldn't hurt to do just as he said for once, she supposed. That didn't mean she would stay quiet.

A light groan left her mouth before long when she realized how ridiculous their current position was.

"This sure looks retarded. I doubt it even works."

The unnecessary comment made him lose concentration. The slow buildup of magical energy in his arms dispersed abruptly. He knew he couldn't really disagree with her, however.

"You're probably right." He shrugged off her hands with a tired sigh. "I don't think it would be enough myself."

"... Huh?"

"Just forget about it, Irisviel. Let's just go home so you can take a bath."

Oh no.

He was disappointed. She had disappointed him. Maybe not her exactly, but she felt responsible all the same. And she really hated to disappoint him.

"Wait, sensei!" She bit her lip slightly. "Let's try again. Other positions perhaps? Come on! A master schemer like you should be able to think of something!"

Again, she was right. And just as she said, he immediately assumed his 'master schemer' character, setting aside his awkwardness and insecurities. It seemed to have an immediate result, because soon enough, he found a strategic solution.

"Irisviel." He turned around to face her again. "Your Magic Circuits concentrate on your upper back, right?"

"Uh, yes?" She blinked in puzzlement. "You've told me so, sensei..."

"True. It's rather convenient then that mine concentrate on my chest."

"... Huh?"

A blink.

In just another blink of her eyes, he was suddenly behind her, very close behind her. The Servants looked to be surprised by this so unexpected development. But she couldn't bring herself to look their way. She was just too surprised herself by this closeness, this irresistible closeness, that she couldn't help leaning back to him instinctively until they finally touched.

It felt simply blissful, such a simple thing.

She snuggled closer, and purred like a kitty. Latent magical energy rapidly coursed throughout her body. It felt phenomenal, but she barely paid any mind to it. At this moment, she couldn't care less about anything other than the sensation of this blissful contact they had. Not even when out of the corner of her now half lidded eyes, she caught sight of a glowing ball of energy began to form on each of his slightly raised hand.

Reddish black on the right.

Bluish white on the left.

They both looked beautiful.

But this was much more beautiful, their closeness. Nothing could distract her from this. That was what she thought until suddenly she felt something poked her down there... right on her behind...

"W- What it this?" Her eyes widened in surprise. "Something hard is now poking my butt! And it's b- big!"

It could only mean one thing, and everyone except for her quickly got it.

As it appeared, Irisviel was simply shocked. The Servants stared pointedly at her supposedly harmless sensei as if he was the most pathetic scum ever. And her sensei himself, he wished he could just die right here and then.

* * *

 **Irisviel's huge blade here is inspired by the signature spell of Mars from Black Clover.**


	16. movies

**Almost 100K words, yet the main pairing has not ended up together or going anywhere close to that. How tragic. But wait, what is this? It seems like even _sweet_ Irisviel can't stand it anymore. Oh well, let's just** ** **blame** her sensei** ******as usual****** **.**

 **16**

* * *

Here it was again, another one of those bizarre dreams. It was more like watching a movie in first person perspective than having a dream to be honest. Even though she was the 'protagonist' here, Irisviel had no control of her person. She could barely even hear anything.

How frustrating.

Still, she couldn't bring herself to complain when the dream itself, no matter how strange it was, always involved the love of her life.

She didn't even care that the setting of the 'movie' this time was in the middle of nowhere. There were snows all over the place, and it was still snowing. The two of them sat on the cold ground, under the cover of an old tree. But it all mattered not to her as she looked at the boy leaning against the tree trunk.

Oh he just looked so handsome and charming here! Compared to the one she had to deal with in daily basis, it was like day and night. This one in the dream, oh she wanted nothing more than to throw herself at him. The one in real life on the contrary, she felt the urge to slap him to dead more often than not when she was with him.

Why couldn't her stupid sensei be even half as good as as this dream version of him? Just why?!

Maybe it was the hair...

The one in the dream still had that original deep black color after all, though it had been cut short this time. The difference was just the color. The hairstyle itself was the same as what she saw daily. So maybe she just liked seeing him with black hair much more. Um no. If she was being honest, she had actually come to adore those fluffy white locks so much. She wouldn't prefer it any other way now.

Maybe it was the skin then...

No way. She would never admit it, but she actually found his tanned skin unbelievably hot!

Soon, she felt like drooling as she remembered that one time she saw him shirtless. Thankfully, her thought had no influence on her dream self, so no drools to her relief. She would sooner die on the spot than be caught drooling in front of this oh so charming version of Amakusa Shirou.

Suddenly to her horror, or perhaps it was excitement, her hands moved on their own accord only to unbutton that familiar black priest shirt. She almost failed to notice that the fabric had been shredded for some reason until her eyes fell on the nasty gash on his front. Those traitorous hands of hers began to tend on that bloody wound without pause, but she just let them did their job with barely any care since it was just a dream. Instead, her attention was focused solely on shamelessly ogling his bare but not yet tanned body.

Her beloved didn't look to be as muscular as he was in the present, she noticed, but quite close enough. The sight was still enough to fill her with a somewhat desperate urge to touch those finely defined abs. To her frustration, however, her hands did no more than the only necessaries to close the gash. At this, she couldn't help but wonder in disbelief if she was supposed to be asexual in this dream.

Then she felt something wet fell down her cheeks.

Her dream self was crying silently...

It was then that Irisviel finally noticed the pain and sadness in her dream heart. And she just knew that it had something to do with her dream Shirou's injured state. Admittedly, it took a bit of time for her to understand her dream self's feelings, seeing that in real life she abused him practically in daily basis. She quickly stopped pondering about this though when he opened his mouth to speak.

Of course she tried her best to listen... only to hear disappointingly but unsurprisingly nothing.

She would've huffed in irritation if only she had control of her dream body. It was really like watching a movie. She could do nothing but watch as her dream self talked with her dream beloved. It wasn't that bad, she supposed. In fact, she was mesmerized when she saw the gentle and loving look he gave her as he spoke to her. It was as if he really loved her here...

Love.

She realized then that it was the sincere passion and love in those gentle golden eyes that made her longed for the real him to be more like this dream one. Her stupid sensei had never given her such a look in real life. His eyes had grown too jaded no matter how hard he tried to fool others to believe otherwise. He had become full of lies and deceits.

Even so, her love for him would always remain strong and true... unlike his questionable and probably nonexistent love for her.

Perhaps he could only love her in her dream, and not her exactly, only her dream self. This love, it was only between these dream selves of theirs after all. She knew because she had been forced to watch almost every night lately, just watch, in first person at that!

How depressing.

To make it worse, her dream self was unbelievably dull. This embarrassing version of her seemed to have the emotional capacity of a toddler. Seriously, how could she be this horrid in her own dream?!

How tragic.

She couldn't help but wonder how this dull girl deserved to share such romantic moments with the oh so charming version of her beloved. Meanwhile, her dashingly hot and awesome real self had to settle with the oh so boring and nerve-wrecking version of him.

How unfair!

As absurd as it was, it seemed like Irisviel was jealous of this in her opinion retarded and pitiful excuse of herself.

It was understandable then that she felt kinda bitter as the 'movie' kept on playing, tempting her, mocking her! She hated to admit it, but her dull dream self and his charming dream self really seemed to be completely in love with each other. Although she still could hear nothing, all those intimate gazes, touches, and that one innocent hug told her enough.

It was almost cute, their interaction, but also sickening!

It would've been much better if she were in control of herself here. The 'plot' would've been much better. The two of them would've already been tangled in a heated kiss on the ground by this point, she was sure of that.

Oh well, at least her dull dream self proved to be not that hopeless, seeing that somehow she managed to end up in her dream beloved's lap with her face snuggling closely to his neck. Just as she began to enjoy the sensation, however, her dream mouth opened again. And this time, somehow she heard a part of what she said. It was only a single word, but more than enough to make her freeze instantly.

A word that she seemed to actually use to address him here in the dream.

 **Ruler...**

In contrast to her dream self who was genuinely happy and began to contently doze off, Irisviel was dreadfully lost.

Why did this dull girl who was supposed to be her call him that?

Was this some kind of twisted fantasy where she was the submissive one instead of the other way around like in real life?

If so, she wouldn't be that much surprised, considering how pitiful this version of her was. That didn't mean it was acceptable to her. She couldn't see herself submit to him so badly as to call him her 'ruler', not even to this charming version of him, much less the boring one she knew so well.

No.

It was not about that. It had a much greater meaning. She just knew it. And it scared her...

The comfort of being this close to him barely mattered anymore as she felt overwhelmed with uncertainty that quickly turned into a full blown panic. The strange movie-like dream had turned into a nightmare. She desperately needed to wake up from it.

Now.

Thankfully, her wish was granted right after her dream self finally fell into slumber. She woke up suddenly with a gasp. A thin layer of sweat had covered her body under the thin nightgown. Her eyes, wide open, were darting around the bedroom to find some semblance of reassurance that she had indeed returned to the real world.

Warm morning sunlight had long since broken through the closed curtain of the window, showing that it was already quite late in the morning.

Unsurprisingly, the other occupant of the bed was still snoring. Irisviel didn't even give her lazy Servant a glance as she got up from the cheap bed in hurry. Her eyes kept darting around the room uneasily, as if searching for something.

Why?

Well, she had quickly come to a conclusion that the small dusty room was cursed. It was not that unreasonable! Her strange dreams had only started after she stayed here after all. That was why she was determined to find the source of this so called curse. Besides, she hadn't got a chance to check out every corner of her sensei's own bedroom since she got here, so she might as well do it now.

Unfortunately, the room was as boring as its owner.

There seemed to be nothing interesting or even curious. Aside from the small table near the bed and the bed itself, she noticed in exasperation that the room only contained a small dresser.

Still better than nothing.

Without a second thought, she opened the old thing and looked inside. A groan almost escaped lips then when her gaze fell upon piece after piece of dull priest attires. She shouldn't have been surprised by this really, knowing how boring her sensei was. Just as she was prepared to silently berate him, however, she caught something white laying alone at the bottom.

A curious piece of paper.

It was rather big, and looked quite old. Picking it up slowly, she found some kind of drawing on it. But first, her eyes focused on the letters at the top.

 _Luminous blessing..._

She frowned a bit, trying to make sense of what she read, but then she just shrugged and turned her attention to the drawing itself. As she took a better look at it, she noticed that it was a sketch of a person. It was surprisingly good in fact. She would be surprised if her sensei was the one who made it. However, even if that was true, she didn't have a chance to be surprised by it. Because something else had taken her by a complete shock. And it was none other than whose portrait it was on the paper.

Hers.

There was no mistaking it. It was really her in this drawing. But how could it be?

The drawing looked to be decades old. Meanwhile, Irisviel herself technically had only lived for less than a couple of years. Not to mention, it had only been months since that fateful day of her first meeting with Shirou. Then how come it seemed that he had known her for much longer than that?

He was a big liar, she knew that, but... Just what kind of secrets he had been keeping from her?!

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she held herself together, at least until she got some answer from him. Without a second thought, she bolted out of the room then and headed down to the first floor.

Soon enough, she found him... this late in the morning still sprawled in the living room instead of in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

It pissed her off.

She nearly flopped down on his stomach again to wake him up just like she did the last time, but she caught herself at the last second. It'd be embarrassing if the newly repaired couch broke again. Besides, she so didn't need to be called heavy again.

Best to just make it simple.

The peaceful morning silence in the house was soon broken by the echoing sound of her palm met the side of his sleeping face. It was then followed by a pitiful groan as the house owner finally woke up with a throbbing red mark on his left cheek. Ready to complain, he looked up at his abuser, only to stop abruptly as his eyes met some kind of drawing of her face instead of her face...

Looked familiar...

Oh who was he kidding?!

He made it long ago, back when he still couldn't let go of _her_ memory. It was supposed to remained hidden, though. Well, his dresser was not the safest place to hide things, but he had never thought that someone would ever dare to enter his room. It was still his fault, though, to have not anticipate this turn of events. And here, the one person who should never ever see it just found it...

He was doomed.

His face went pale quickly save for the angry slap mark. And the angry girl before him knew that it was time to strike.

"What is the meaning of this, sensei?"

"Uh... I drew this a little while ago then secretly hid it in the dresser when you were not looking?"

"Here it goes again. You threat me like a little child that you can fool easily." Her lips trembled. "It hurts, you know."

Ouch.

He got to step up his game then.

"This, Irisviel..." He sighed slightly to make it more convincing. "... is the portrait of the beautiful angel I saw in my dreams long before I met you. And now, I've understood that perhaps it was actually a prophecy, that I've been fated to meet that angel in my life someday. This is the true reason I broke down the first time I laid my eyes on you, oh beautiful Irisviel."

Err, perhaps he went a bit overboard there?

Said 'angel' sure thought so.

"You dirty liar..." She growled in warning. "Tell me the truth or I'll violate those innocent lips of yours for real this time."

How terrifying.

But he just could think of no way out of this that would end well for him. This hopelessness reminded him of that final day in Shimabara. And just like that time, he could only pray. To his surprise, however, it seemed that for once, his prayer was answered.

The sudden ringing of the phone was proof of that...

Perhaps no, but the phone call really saved him this time. The angry girl looked away wit a huff, begrudgingly giving him a chance to answer. Without a second thought, he hurriedly went to grab the noisy thing then.

"Oh. It's you, Sister Marian -"

And the thing left his hand instantly. The sister's fanatic fan took it away from him as soon as she heard the name.

"Hello? Sister Mari? It's Iri!" ~ "I miss you! Oh I so need your company." ~ "Sensei's dirty mind has gone out of control lately. Please save me from his lewd clutches!" ~ "Movies? Sure, I'd love to go to the movies with you! It's a date!" ~ "Eeeh? With sensei too? But why?! He would only bring embarrassment to us." ~ "... Fine. But only if I could convince him to wear something other than those dull priest outfits." ~ "Later, Sister Mari. Love you!"

Oh well, if there was something that could so effectively make this girl forget her anger, it was speaking with her idol.

Best to keep note of that.

With the forbidden portrait laid forgotten on the coffee table, she hummed excitedly as she turned back to him.

"Sensei, we're all going to the movies today with Sister Mari." Then she frowned in distaste as she glanced at his disheveled black clothes. "But you have to wear something else for once!"

"No, thanks. I'd rather stay home. And what's wrong with my choice of attire?" He frowned too. "It fits me nicely."

"Urgh! Can you be even more boring?!"

"Excuse me? For your information, I used to be the most charming bachelor in Shimabara."

Eeeh?

"But..." She smiled all too smugly. "That was my Shirou, sensei, not you."

That was more than enough to make a white eyebrow twitch.

"Well, your imaginary boyfriend died quick! He got himself butchered pathetically like some cattle in the end."

Then it was the turn for a black eyebrow to twitch.

"Still better than in denial of being boring."

"Still better than in denial of being chubby." Oops...

In no time, a dainty yet strong hand grabbed his blessed hair before another one moved to give his helpless face a full round of bitchslaps. Only once he nearly passed out did she let go. Then as usual, she innocently acted like nothing happened.

"Anyway, we're all going to the movies today. And you wear something else, sensei. We don't want to embarrass Sister Mari, do we?"

"... As... you wish... my Master."

Still in a daze, he slipped up and addressed her 'incorrectly'. It made her frown for a bit before deciding that it wasn't worth thinking about.

"Good. Uh, now what do you think we should watch? Maybe some action?"

"That's just silly, Irisviel. None of us would be impressed by anything shown in the movie."

He had a point.

Thus she began to think of other options, and quickly settled on something good. It was perfect actually. As cliche as it was, this one would give her a perfect excuse to pretend to be scared, and then he would take her into his arms and whisper sweet comforting words to her. And then oh! Oh!

"Then how about some horror, sensei?" She smiled hopefully. "It would be so exciting!"

"That's just silly, Irisviel. Only Caster would be scared by those so called horror. Besides, we all know there's nothing more scary than Angrysviel von Einzbern."

Oh now he did it!

Too bad for her, she couldn't teach him a real lesson without proving his point. This sure made her huff in frustration.

"Well, since you're so picky, I'll just decide it myself then." Her smug smile returned. "We're going to watch some sappy romance drama."

"That's just silly, Irisviel. You -"

"Oh shut up, you! Just go to the kitchen and start making breakfast!"

/

The day went by pretty fast. Perhaps because it was so exciting?

Yeah, right.

Anyway, before they knew it, it was late in the afternoon by the time they were out of the movie house. The group that consisted of two Servants, one church sister, one random priest, and one rich lady went back to the parking lot in a particularly good mood. Out of the five of them, the rich lady walking at the front looked the most joyful. But the others looked more than pleased too, except for the boring priest.

That one looked grumpy.

He obviously didn't want to be here in the first place. He was just too boring to go out and enjoy life, they said. It didn't help that he had been forced to wear an old shirt he had nearly forgotten instead of the usual black one of his precious priest attire. However, what really got on his nerves was the obnoxious behavior of the one who had put him in this predicament.

The sappy romance drama they watched earlier had seemed to make such a big impact on _sweet_ Irisviel. She had become obsessed. Her naive mind had been filled completely with cringeworthy romance stuffs. It came to the point that she hadn't stopped spouting ridiculous 'romantic' nonsense clearly inspired by the movie. It was so over dramatic and embarrassing.

And earlier she said he would be the embarrassing one.

What a bitch.

How satisfying it would be to just pull that long black ponytail swaying mockingly from side to side as she walked without care in front of him. Not that he would ever dare to do so. Still, he couldn't stay silent any longer.

"Please enough, Irisviel. People are looking, you know."

That was true. But strangely enough, people actually glanced her way in curious interest. Moreover, their companions seemed to find her nonsense pleasantly amusing. It made her appear like some kind of celebrity, and she knew it.

Feeling momentarily high and mighty, the sassy girl looked back at the grumpy boy who dared to complain to her.

She paused, taking a moment to appreciate how good he looked if he dressed differently for once. It was quite a shame that she had only managed to make him wear a different top. The rest of his outfit still consisted of the usual bland priest apparel. Still, it was enough to make him look so hot. No one could resist the sight of those strong arms and of course the teasing glimpse of that sculptured chest. Tearing off the top few buttons of the grey casual shirt he currently wore couldn't be more worth it. She was so glad that she had done it earlier.

Thanks to his hotness, his impudence was pardoned this time. She just gave him a cheeky smirk then before continuing on with her melodrama.

"How could you, my love? How could you tell me enough when you couldn't even see how my heart is hurting from your ignorance?"

"Now you're doing it only to annoy me."

"Because I'm crazy about you! I'm just a woman in love trying desperately to have your eyes on me."

"Fine! I give up."

His expression was simply priceless. And everyone seemed to be holding back from snickering at his expenses. It only encouraged her more.

"How could you give up when you've never fought for me to begin with? You have no right to say that when you're still chasing after _her_ who has long gone."

"By the God..." Now he lost it. "Just shut it, Chubbysviel!" Oops...

Time seemed to stop as the girl stopped abruptly before turning around with the infamous glare of those cold maroon eyes.

"What did you call me, you stupid ####?"

Her shocking vocabulary elicited horrified gasps from everyone. It was also enough to make said stupid #### tremble in fear.

"Uh... Prettysviel? You're the prettiest girl in the world after all..."

"You lying piece of ####! If you find me so unsightly, just say it to my face!"

Her face had turned red, not only from anger, but also hurt. Seeing this, her favorite sister quickly hugged her from behind.

"Hush... Don't be silly, Iri." She nuzzled her cheek comfortingly. "I know him. He really thinks you're pretty."

"I- Is that so, Sister Mari?"

"Of course, silly!"

And just like that, it was once again proven how much of an influence an idol had on their worshiper as the angry girl easily calmed down and smiled shyly. It also greatly helped that said idol had been trained to be exceptionally perceptive and tactful in her line of work. Still, to be safe, she gave the two Servants a discreet look that told them to break the silence in hope of distracting the girl.

Caster obliged happily with a wink.

"I'm with Iris, though. The movie was so good. I was tearing up near the end."

Not bad. Now it was Lancer's turn to play his part.

"I seem to remember that you were bawling loudly the whole time, Caster. It came to the point that some people even voiced their complains."

"Shut your trap, Bakarna! You're doing it wrong! You're supposed to play along with me to distract Iris."

And she just ruined it herself...

But perhaps not really?

Miraculously, the two's hopeless attempt of distraction seemed to work. A thoughtful look suddenly appeared on the recently angry girl's face. The thought of the sappy drama from earlier quickly occupied her mind once again.

"The male lead was plain stupid, though. There the nice and pretty female lead was willing to do anything to be with him, but he pushed her away just because he had decided to remain faithful to his deceased lover." She frowned in displeasure. "I mean, what is hard to understand about moving on? Why throw away a chance to love again and be happy? Why hurt the poor lady just for such a dreamy ideal?"

Now, did the aforementioned person resemble a certain piece of #### in their group?

The rest of them sure thought so. In fact, now that they thought about it, the whole thing between the lead characters in the movie somewhat reminded them of the difficult relationship between the two adolescents. Unfortunately, to no one's surprise, the male one of the two seemed too dense to notice this.

Somehow engrossed in the discussion, the dense boy forgot that his life was still pretty much at risk.

"Maybe you're right, Irisviel." He looked at the girl softly. "Alas, some of us just couldn't help it. For someone like me, we fall in love not out of need or necessity to love and be loved in return. Like a blessing, it just happens. And like the life itself, it is pretty much irreplaceable."

Silence took place then as a deep look of melancholy settled on his eyes.

Everyone had been left speechless by this rare moment of him having some deep words. But none of them was near as much affected by this as Irisviel. The girl looked so defeated all of a sudden with tears welling up in her eyes.

It just hurt too much.

He had given his answer before she could even confess her feelings.

It was pretty much a rejection, a subtle but so hurtful one.

"This is so unfair..." Her lips trembled. "I love you till it hurts... I just need you to give me a chance in return... Is that too much to ask?"

"Come now, Irisviel..." Here, he thought she was still being melodramatic. "Surely you've had enough playing around already."

Now she couldn't take it anymore.

" **Damn you, Amakusa Shirou!** Die! Die! Die and follow your wretched Master to her grave!"

Surprisingly, despite her cursing, she didn't even raise a single finger to hit him this time. But somehow, it hit him much harder than anything she had ever given him when she got angry.

Everyone else had been left in complete shock. Not even Lancer could maintain his composure. They all looked at the breaking down girl in worry, including the passersby that had stopped at hearing her outburst. Noticing this, Sister Marian quickly regained her bearing and took a logical action by once again pulling her friend into an embrace.

"Breath, Iri... Breath."

Hearing the familiar shooting voice, the girl slowly did as told before turning around to bury her face into the older girl's short crimson tresses.

"Let me come home with you, Sister Mari..." Her first tear finally fell. "Please..."

Hearing the heartbreaking plea, for the very first time ever, the sister didn't even bother to look her mentor's way as she made a decision. It was clear that she put a blame on him at the moment. Though she still spare a moment to give each Servant standing in tense silence a reassuring nod before taking her teary friend away with her.

A short while later, the remaining three of the group could only watch the two girls riding out of the parking lot on a red Ducati.

/

The sporadic sound of paper flipping was the only thing that filled the silence in a modest apartment room located in the city corner. Sitting on the carpeted floor, the normally sole occupant of the small cozy place had been trying to focus her thought on her work for the past couple of hours. The papers on the coffee table before her contained important information that she needed to thoroughly study after all. It was important that she presented the result to her mentor as soon as possible.

That night in the aftermath of the grand auction raid, he had privately asked her to figure out the one behind the mafia boss' death. It was not an easy task since the only lead they had was the curse responsible for it. Luckily, considering that the curse itself was among the highest level of magecraft, the list of possible practitioners could be narrowed down considerably.

Still, she could barely bring herself to care about any of this each time she remembered how the dense boy made her dear friend cry earlier.

Sighing tiredly, Sister Marian took a ship of her almost cold tea. Her gaze for the umpteenth time turned toward her bedroom where the temporary occupant of her place currently rested in. The door was still opened so she could peered at the girl sitting quietly on the bed.

Since they got here after their ride home on her new sportsbike, Irisviel had been cheerful around her as usual like nothing happened. The two of them had some fun girl time throughout the evening in fact. Nothing seemed to be amiss as they chatted, dined, and even bathed together. Even then, it wasn't that hard for her to see through the brokenhearted girl's act.

Now already past ten in the evening, she decided that it was about time to have a real talk. They both left each other's company a few hours ago. It should've given the girl quite enough alone time to gather her thought.

The papers were left alone then as she stood up and walked into her dimly lit bedroom. Seeing her coming, the sweet girl didn't forget to give her a smile, though it was a bit forced. Her eyes softened at this. She couldn't help but smile in return as she flopped down on the bed so they could closely face each other.

"Hey. Couldn't sleep?"

"Just waiting for Sister Mari to finish her work. I'm looking forward to sleep with her after all."

"Ooh, so that's your true motive coming home with me, hmm?" She grinned mischievously. "To sleep with this poor lonely sister?"

"Why else? Sister Marian is so hot!"

"Why, thank you! You seem to know what you're doing, you cheeky girl. Buuut, how can you be so sure that I'm into girls too?"

"No idea." The girl's smile turned somewhat seductive at this. "But I'm sure you will have a good time with this girl tonight."

Instantly, both of them fell silent for a moment before bursting into laughter at once a few seconds later. This was pretty much what they had been doing since they got to the apartment, joking around with innocent flirting here and there. It had come easily since they both found each other very attractive regardless their preference. Though it turned amusingly awkward earlier when they found themselves blushing for some reason as they bathed together.

Just remembering that slim athletic body in the nude sure made Irisviel have to fight down a blush again. She had never thought that she could be aroused at seeing another female. Her Servant, as attractive as she was, had close to no effect on her, even though she had seen her naked plenty enough times already. This was very new and unexpected to her. Feeling her body growing hot again, she shook off the thought and decided to change the subject.

"I have a great fun today thanks to Sister Mari. That ride through the city on your new motorbike was so much fun! It's so fast, that sexy thing!"

"Sure it is! It's the latest model after all." The owner grinned proudly. "You like riding too, Iri? Want me to teach you?"

"Yes, please! I felt my blood pumping harder than ever as we rid, more than I've ever felt from driving."

"Cool! We can start as soon as we have the chance." Suddenly, she looked somewhat apologetic. "That is if Father Shirou allows it..."

And just as sudden, the excited look on Irisviel's face was gone as she heard her sensei's name, only to be replaced with bitterness.

"Who cares about him." She looked away with a frown. "I sure hope I wouldn't see his stupid face again."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do, Sister Mari. The stupid liar can go to hell with his dead lover for all I care."

"Then you're a liar too, Iri. You lied about loving him."

Those sharp words were truly unexpected.

The accused girl froze instantly, prideful maroon eyes widened in shock. It was true that she had lied, but they both knew that the real lie was her insistence to deny her feelings. It was clear that those feelings were still there, unquenchable, unquestionable. Those feelings had become an essential part of her very being. She could no longer exist without loving him...

But why did it have to hurt so?

Was it so wrong to want to have those feelings reciprocated?

Was it so wrong to want to be loved in return?

It really seemed that a mutual love between them was only reserved in the dreamland.

"You know, Sister Mari..." Her eyes looked unfocused as she remembered. "I have strange dreams lately. In those dreams, my dream self did everything on her own, and I could only watch through her eyes. There was also close to no sound to be heard, so it was like being in those very old movies."

"Hmm, interesting. Do tell more, Iri."

The older girl's apparent interest encouraged her, and was enough to make her forget her misery for a bit.

"My dream self was so dull. She needed a serious lesson to smile. And laugh! That one time a sound could be heard was when she tried to laugh. Trust me, you don't want to hear it. It was so awkward and embarrassing."

"Eeeh? Really?"

"Mhm. She looked just like me in the mirror, but she was absolutely pitiful. Seriously, she had a really hard time just dealing with simple emotions, like she was retarded or something."

"Hey now, there's no need to be mean, even to an unreal imagery of your own self."

"Sorry." She smiled sheepishly. "I was being unfair. A hypocrite, I guess." And here she looked down in shame. "To be honest, I too admittedly used to be like that in the beginning... Yeah, just like that dream self of mine pretty much."

The honest humility awarded her with a pat on the shoulder and a kind smile from her favorite sister.

"Alright. Now, Iri, what's those dreams about?"

"Um..." Her face flushed a bit. "Me and him, I guess... But a different him! The one with black hair still!"

"Oh?"

"He was so sweet and charming there. And we seemed to be so in love..." Her eyes widened then. "T- The dream I and him, I mean!"

"But still you and him."

"R- Right..." She finally sighed in defeat. "At least... I can still be with him... even just in the dream."

A heartbreakingly bittersweet look settled on her lovely face, but the ever so positive sister wouldn't stand it.

"See?" She smiled encouragingly. "You really love him."

"True..." Again, another defeated sigh. "It's just... His words back there struck really deep. But funnily, even though it was hard and painful for me, I couldn't help but admire the love he believes. It seems so beautiful. It makes me wish he could share it with me... So, in the end, without him even knowing it, he just made me love him even more."

"And you, Iri, will make him love you just the same if you haven't already. I just know it." She leaned closer then, still smiling. "Now, what do I always tell you?"

Those brilliant hazel eyes shined with a full blown positivity. This close, Iri found herself mesmerized by them as she remembered to answer.

"Don't lose... to a _ghost_."

"Good girl!"

That was nice to hear. But... Irisviel didn't feel like a good girl right the moment.

Her heart had begun to beat faster, her breath come sorter. For some reason, all her senses had become so increasingly aware of how incredibly attractive her favorite sister was. Again, her body was growing hotter and hotter the longer she stared at those elegantly beautiful features and those lithe but nicely mature womanly figures. And it all reached a boiling point when her gaze finally fell on the oh so sensual curving of those smiling lips. Then before she knew it, she found herself pressing her own lips desperately against them...

* * *

 **Iri's strange dream here is the same as the opening scene of the story, the one that shows Shirou's final memory with _her_. If you have read each chapter carefully so far, you'll notice that I have actually been adding subtle hints here and there that build up to her growing suspicion towards him.  
**


	17. innocence

**Still on a necessary break from the main plot.  
**

 **Warning: a bit of suggestive theme perhaps?**

 **17**

* * *

Marian the orphan girl was by no means a sister in the traditional sense. In fact, the title was only given to her as a cover for her true identity as a professional Templar Agent. Unlike their knights counterpart that basked in the Order's glory, members of the Order's intelligent agency like her were required to work in the shadows. Thus in public eyes, she was just another lovely church sister. However, that didn't mean she was any less faithful than any regular, real sisters. After all, it was for the sake of her very faith that she dirtied her hands and sacrificed all her innocence.

Well, not all actually.

Surprisingly enough, despite all those espionage, assassinations, and other necessary crimes she had committed in her career, somehow she had not lost her innocence as a woman. And she was honestly grateful for that. The hopeless romantic in her still wished to give herself only to the man that hopefully God had chosen for her only.

Imagine her surprise then to find that her very first kiss ended up to be with a fellow woman...

Seriously, the possibility that she might be interested in the same gender too had almost never crossed her mind. But the girl who kissed her was very special to her. It was understandable then that the adoration she had for her won over all reasons. She ended up surrendering herself to sinful passions that night. And the clumsy kiss inevitably led the two of them to delve deeper into intimacy together...

It was not until the alarm clock on the bedside table woke her up in the early morning that Marian finally regained her senses. Face turning red quickly, she immediately looked over the still asleep girl snuggling close to her in the bed. And she couldn't help but sigh in relief to find that they both had not ended up completely naked.

Now with her mind clear enough, she could remember how the younger girl didn't seem to know what she was doing beyond kissing and touching, so they just embraced each other in the end as sleep eventually consumed them.

Thank God...

It meant they both had not really been intimate, right? They still kept their innocence, right?

There was still a regret, though.

It was not that she didn't enjoy what they were doing last night, because she surprisingly did. But it had nothing to do with that. Her regret stemmed from the fact that in a sense she had betrayed the most important person in her life.

This lovely girl lying asleep half naked beside her belonged to him only. The two belonged together and for each other only. That was what she believed. That was what she absolutely rooted for!

Now after what happened, how could she possibly bring herself to face him again?

Still laying on her back, Marian laid her arm tiredly across her forehead, shielding her eyes from the dim light of the bedside lamp. Never before had she felt this distressed. The thought of disappointing her beloved mentor was just too much for her to bear. It took a lot for her to refrain from weeping helplessly like a normal girl her age. And in such a sad state, she failed to notice that the other girl had woken up too.

With the usual ponytail undone, Irisviel's still black hair fell messily all over her bare skin as she sat up and yawned lazily, not caring that she was only in her underwear. Then with a satisfied smile, she turned toward her favorite sister, only to have her eyes widened in worry instantly.

"Sister Mari? What's wrong?!"

Hearing the concern in that familiar sweet voice, the distressed girl stiffened slightly before lowering her arm.

"It's nothing, Iri." Her usual happy smile took place quickly. "You can go back to sleep. It's still early."

"Sister Mari..."

It seemed like this girl had come to know her too well. She couldn't be fooled with her happy acting anymore. Perhaps it was best to just be honest then.

"It's nothing for you to worry about." The smile fell slightly. "I'm just worried about what your sensei would think of... you know, what happened last night."

"Don't be. He doesn't own either of us. And he sure doesn't need to know."

"... He doesn't?"

"Mhm. What happened last night should remain as our lovely little secret." A playful look settled on her face then. "Besides, it's for his own good really. That prude little mind of his surely would combust if he found out about it."

With that, things started to return to normal again between them both as they laughed together. Even so, there was still one important thing they needed to address, Marian knew that. She sat up then, and looked the younger girl in the eyes. Because again, it'd be best to just be honest with it.

"Now Iri, what we did together was interesting. I'd be lying if I say I didn't enjoy it. Even so, we're both girls. And I think... I'm pretty much into boys more, still." She smiled sheepishly. "You were an exception, Iri. Only because I adore you so!"

Now despite appearing positively confident like her usual self, she braced herself inwardly. It would be perfectly understandable if her dear friend, as sweet as she was, couldn't accept this well after all. To her pleasant surprise, however, the girl gave her a sweet smile.

"Don't worry. I can't honestly say I see Sister Mari that way too." Inwardly she blamed her stupid sensei, but remained smiling. "Really, it was a surprise to me too. It was so spontaneous. I guess I just I couldn't help it because Sister Mari looked so alluring with so much positivity."

"... I did?"

"Yup. It's one of the main reasons I admire you so very much! You inspire me. In fact, I'm now determined to be positive just like Sister Marian."

"Oh, that's good, Irisviel!" And said positivity was shown full force. "That means you're ready to speak with him so you two can make up, right?"

"Only if he comes here for me. I would look desperate if I just come home to him. We can't let that happen, can we? I'm a proud girl, remember?"

"... Right."

The sister might be known for her positive thinking. But her line of work pretty much required and taught her to think objectively.

And here, she could already predict that as it was, any attempt for her favorite pair to make up would not end that well. She had noticed that for some reason, those two spent most of their time together fighting about silly things lately. It was honestly quite amusing... until yesterday. Yesterday incident that led to the girl finally snapped proved that this matter couldn't be taken lightly. The root of the problem was clear, and it could only be solved by the pair themselves. But there had to be something that triggered the recent increasing tensions between them.

It could be a simple little thing...

Sharp hazel eyes unconsciously fell on lusciously messy black tresses, and they suddenly widened.

Of course.

She realized then that her mentor had started to become unnecessarily mean to her dear friend ever ever since the girl wore this new hairstyle that was clearly inspired by his original hair. It might seem silly, but it was pretty much possible that such a simple thing could trigger some bad memories perhaps. Somehow she was convinced that it at least played a part to the problem. Now, how to put it nicely without unnecessarily upsetting this proud girl?

"You know, Iri, now that you don't need to be Sister Lulu anymore, don't you think it's time to return your hair to normal?"

"Huh?" The girl blinked cutely. "But I enjoy being Sister Lulu... The hair is cool too. Caster even said that I look kick-ass like this."

Let's try a different approach then.

"But, Iri... I just love your natural hair."

"R- Really, Sister Mari?!" Those maroon eyes suddenly widened. "Let's return it to normal then! Hurry!"

Oh well, that was so easy...

/

In the break of dawn when the chill in the air was still too much to bear, a faithful follower of God had been chained to a pole, clearly unconscious. He had been left in such misery, drained and defeated, since before the fall of dusk in the previous day. One could only wonder what kind of bravery he had done for the name of God that resulted in him ended up in such a fate.

Truly, it made a poignant picture of the fall of a saint... if only it didn't happen in the small front yard of a cheap house in a low-class neighborhood.

The 'saint' itself was actually the house owner who just happened to be a random priest. And the ones responsible for his current predicament were none other than his own guests, two of them. Both currently stood in front of him, waiting for him to wake up so they could start some kind of interrogation. The male one looked practically relaxed with a can of beer in his hand. The female, on the other hand, looked so pissed.

Having had enough waiting, the woman with fox ears and tails picked up a hose lying nearby. Usually, it was used to bath their beloved pet car, but it was only proper for the owner to try it too for once, right?

Sure.

A jet of cold water hitting right in the face was certainly not a pleasant thing, but it sure did the job effectively. The now drenched priest groaned pitifully as he regained consciousness. Before his eyes could fully open, however, his senses went into alert immediately as he noticed his immobilized state. He looked up quickly then, only to have his eyes widened in dread at what he saw.

There standing menacingly before him were a fuming oneechan holding a hose and a daunting oniichan holding a beer can. It was clear that they were the ones responsible for his latest misfortune. And they were there on behalf of their unbelievably spoiled imouto, he just knew it.

Perhaps it would be best if he just played clueless.

"Uh..." He smiled nervously. "What's up, guys?"

Too bad for him, it only served to piss off the oneechan more.

"What's up, you say?! You stupid brat, don't tell me you can't remember how we knocked you out cold, threw you into Akane's luggage, and then tied you here with a chain once we got home! Give us some credit, will you?!"

Err, for some reason, her statement just sounded wrong... As her partner in crime, the oniichan felt responsible to point out what he thought very wrong here.

"Caster, I don't know about you foxes, but for us humans, we can't realistically remember what happens while we are unconscious."

"How many times do I have to tell you to shut your beer drinking trap, Bakarna?!"

With that outburst, the hose found a new target. And soon, Lancer ended up as drenched as his Master. But he just shrugged and dried himself up quickly with his Mana Burst before taking another sip of his beer. The sight made Caster growled furiously until she remembered their priority here.

Interrogation.

"Now you!" She glared at the brat. "There you blatantly disregarded Iris' feelings yesterday. Explain yourself!"

"Eh? You guys took her seriously? She was just being melodramatic. The movie really gave her a bad influence."

Wrong response.

The fearsome hose attack its original target again at full force. The wielder only stopped it once she cooled down enough to speak.

"She was serious, you stupid brat!"

"No. No. You're mistaken, Caster. Your Master is only infatuated with the dreamy image she has of me. You remember that gaudy painting in her castle, right? That's the love of her life."

At this rate, even Akane seemed miles smarter than her hopeless owner...

Lost for words, the frustrated woman glanced back at her partner. Their eyes met for a moment, then the man nodded at her in support. It was just a small gesture, barely noticeable, but somehow it meant a lot to her. He trusted her to handle this, and it warmed her heart to know this. She felt amazingly confident then as she turned her attention back to the brat.

"Listen, kid. We share a homeland, no? We are kin, you and I. That alone naturally should at least make us open up to each other better."

"... Right."

"Here you can consider me as your own oneechan if it makes you feel more comfortable. I wouldn't mind."

"... Okay."

"If oneechan talks to you, you should not take it lightly."

"... Yes."

What... the... actual hell... was this?

It was nigh impossible for the mighty Red Lancer to be left dumbstruck, but here it was. Eyes widened in disbelief, he watched the troublesome woman scolding his formidable Master like he was really just a kid. To say that Lancer was impressed was an understatement. He could only wonder if this was the true power hidden under her ridiculous self. Regardless, he was awestruck by how amazing she appeared at the moment.

If only Caster knew what her partner was thinking, it'd be guaranteed that she would return to her normal self in an instant. Thankfully she didn't. And so, the scolding continued.

"Now let's get back to the matter with Iris. I know you're not that stupid. You've surely noticed the subtle hints she's so often shown about her feelings for you. That's all she could do, because despite popular belief, she's an insecure girl. You being insensitive only made things worse! She ended up so frustrated and in the end resorted to violence."

"That... makes sense." He looked down in shame. "It's just... hard to believe that she could possibly feel that way for someone like me..."

"I know, right? You're dense, dull, twisted, not to mention poor! It's really unbelievable that she's hopelessly in love with you. Even so, no one has any right to question her feelings... It was very mean of you to treat her like some silly little girl, you know."

"I know..."

"So, would you give her a chance, please? She's still so young and naive... It would mean so much for her delicate heart."

No answer this time.

Caster was surprised to see a pained look on his face. Though it didn't take her long to understand why.

"Hey. Is this about _her_?" She looked at him softly. "Marin has told me before about your beloved Master. And with how you made it clear about your faithfulness to _her_ yesterday, I think I understand. Still... Isn't it painful to stay being alone? No one would blame you for learning to love again. I know you have feelings for Iris too... You don't have to let go of your love for _her_. It's okay to love them both equally, you know."

"They're the same person, Caster."

Surprisingly, it was Lancer who gave a response this time. Though she couldn't believe what she heard.

"Come... again, Bakarna?"

"Iris and Shirou's Master are essentially the same person."

"Whaaat?!" Now she looked downright bewildered. "No way..."

"It's true." He shrugged. "I've seen it myself. Perhaps it's because of Shirou's background as a Servant that I've got to experience a dream about his past... But there I saw _her_. There are some differences in personality, but I am certain that it was really Iris, and not simply because they look identical."

It was too much to take for Caster. Though it shouldn't be really. As a Servant that in a sense also got another chance in life, she had no excuse to not believe things like reincarnation. And the more she thought about this unexpected revelation of her Master, she couldn't help but chuckle in amusement.

"I guess that at least explains why she tends to be so bossy with him."

"Indeed. It wouldn't be a surprise if her old instinct as his Master plays a part in that."

"That silly little lady..." And more chuckle. "It would be hilarious once she finds out that she has been jealous of none other than her own past self all along."

For some reason, the still chained to a pole kid suddenly looked up in panic.

"Please don't tell her!"

"Huh? Why not?"

"It's just..."

"It's okay. Just tell oneechan."

Again, that silly method seemed to work surprisingly enough, seeing how the kid sighed in surrender.

"A clean new start of life has done good for her. She doesn't deserve to be burdened by the past. Besides... I don't want her to think that I care about her only because of who she was in the past..."

Here, the surprising display of sweet sincerity managed to convince the female Servant at last that deep inside, he was a good soul. In fact, after seeing this, if she was being honest, she had unintentionally come to adore him for real. How could she not really with how cute he looked at the moment?

Shaking her head lightly, she gave him a sweet smile in return.

"Fine. But you and Iris will have a real talk as soon as possible, no more lies about your feelings."

"... I'm not sure."

"Hey now. That girl has really fallen in love with you the both times she lives her life. And you, you still stubbornly preserve your love for her after all this time. That has got to mean something. I would even call it fate." Here, she sighed emotionally. "Really, I'll kill to experience that kind of bond between you two..."

A meaningful silence settled over them.

Lancer's cool blues eyes subtly gazed on his fellow Servant in admiration. Meanwhile, the gentle look of Caster's golden eyes still expectantly focused on the troubled kid before her. But the other pair of golden eyes, the steely ones, could barely be seen behind a wet mop of white hair. This went on for quite a while.

Then there was a sharp clink of metal, followed by the kid's low voice.

"Wakatta..."

Here, he finally looked up again just as the heavy chain around him fell to the ground.

"Arigatou... _onee-chan_."

With that, the now dumbstruck woman was awarded with the familiar harmless smile, although the warmness was real this time.

It was such a surprise to her. She could hardly believe that all along, the kid in actuality was able to escape pretty much with no effort. More than that, she just couldn't believe that he had in fact listened to her. And the smile too! It warmed her heart. Though she snapped out of her deliriousness abruptly when she noticed him starting to walk away.

"STOP!" Her hand quickly grabbed his collar. "Just where do you think you're going?!"

"Uh, you told me to talk to Irisviel..."

"I did, kid. I did. But when I said as soon as possible, it means after you prepare oneechan some meals for breakfast! I'm starving here!"

Oh well, it seemed like the woman had returned to her normal self. Her fellow Servant shook his head in disapproval at this.

"Servants do not get hungry, Caster. Besides, any decent fox should be capable of hunting for chicken or something to feed themselves."

Then guess what.

In no time, the man was once again rewarded with a full blown jet of cold water from the fearsome hose for his unnecessary remark.

/

Throughout the morning, a certain sister had been uncharacteristically jumpy. It all culminated when she literally jumped slightly at the sound of light knocking on her apartment door. She knew who it was, so she immediately moved to open the door despite the anxious rapid beating of her heart. And once she was finally face to face with her dear mentor, she honestly felt like crying. She was obviously still feeling guilty for touching his beloved...

But of course, this harmless priest, kind as always to her, did not question her strange behavior. He just gave her a warm pat on the head, and smiled.

"It's good to see you. Where's Irisviel, though?"

Straight to the point, as always with her, because he trusted her. And it was enough to put her heart much at ease.

"She's in my room, Father Shirou. Please come in!"

And he did, calm as always. Deep inside, however, he actually felt almost as jumpy as her. He was anxious that he would get annoyed easily at the sight of that familiar black ponytail, and then the word chubby would leave his mouth, and then -

No.

He should remain positive just like his loyal protege.

He just needed to perhaps not pay attention to the hair. But it seemed like he didn't need to bother with that because his eyes soon fell upon his beloved lady on the bed, contently brushing her long hair in its natural glory. It was here that he truly appreciated the sight of that luscious fair tresses. And he better showed his appreciation if he wished this to go well.

"I missed it..." He smiled fondly. "Your hair."

His presence took her by a bit of surprise, seeing how she tensed up subtly before looking up at him.

"Oh?" Her lip pouted slightly. "My hair... But not me?"

"You too, of course. I was just trying to point out that your hair is perfect as it is."

Nice start.

She beamed up at him, beyond happy to receive a genuine compliment from him for once. And to show her appreciation, she invitingly patted the spot in front of her on the bed.

"Come sit with me. Take a look or touch if you want."

"T- Touch you?"

"My hair, sensei..."

"Oh." He felt so stupid. "Sure..."

To save himself further embarrassment, he wisely decided to just accept the invitation without another word. As he carefully took a seat, though, he couldn't help but wonder since when he became so nervous around this girl. Normally, it was like the most natural thing in the world to be in each other's presence. He longed for it to return, their effortless familiarity. Thus he allowed himself to reach out and take a fistful of those long fair strands gently in his hand.

How amazingly silky and soft...

It was amazing how just by doing this, he felt effortlessly peaceful. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it too. Her hand had even stopped brushing after she decided that the tender caress of his hand felt much better than the hairbrush on her hair. And soon, their eyes closed lightly as they savored the serene moment.

If only it was enough...

As nice as it was, this silence would not solve their issues.

They needed to talk.

The moment was broken when the girl reluctantly pulled her hair away from his hand. This got his attention. He looked at her patiently, expectantly as she took her time to think of how to start. Eventually, she decided on the unresolved mystery that had been bugging her since yesterday morning.

"That portrait..." She bit her lip anxiously. "Whose portrait is that, sensei?"

"I think I've given you an answer, Irisviel..."

Did he honestly expect her to believe that stupid joke of an answer?

"Answer honestly." Maroon orbs narrowed. "Who is the woman in that painting?"

"You."

There was no uncertainty or even hesitation. And it took her by a complete surprise. Then instinctively, based on her experience with him, she tried to find any lies, deceits, or some hidden meanings behind his word. But as she looked into those calm golden orbs, all she could find was real, unadulterated sincerity.

She beamed brightly once again.

The portrait was still a mystery to her, but knowing that it was non other than her in there was more than enough for her. It gave her a much needed hope. Because it at least proved that she meant something to him.

Now all she had to do was to prove how he meant everything to her.

"Sensei..." She bit her lip again. "I understand and have come to accept that you'd never stop loving _her_. And I think that's admirable of you. But..."

"Irisviel... I -"

His attempt to ease her stopped abruptly when she suddenly gave him a strangely familiar commanding look.

"If you think I'd just give up and wallow in misery, you're wrong."

"Eh?!"

"The fact that you're in love with another is no longer relevant to me. It doesn't make my feelings any less true. You can do nothing about it. Because from you, I've learned to preserve such precious feelings."

This was different...

This was not her being her usual bossy self.

This was more like her trying to speak authoritatively to him as... a Master.

So that was why it gave him such familiar feelings. Those innocently blunt words coupled with the awkwardly bland yet so heartfelt tone of voice only made it all the more familiar to him. No one else spoke to him that way. Really. All that was left at this moment was her calling him Ruler instead of sensei.

He shook his head lightly with a chuckle, having lost for words.

Meanwhile, the not so jumpy anymore sister paused just outside the conveniently ajar door of her room to check on the pair. She didn't mean to eavesdrop or anything. Such a thing was bad, she knew that. Still, when she stumbled upon a nice opportunity like this, the Templar Agent in her just couldn't resist. They wouldn't mind it anyway, she was sure of that. Thus, with that thought, she quietly peered inside.

It was right as Shirou slowly leaned toward Irisviel who had been waiting silently for some response from him.

Oooh, were they going to KISS at last?!

Holding her breath expectantly, the sister was about ready to rejoice wholeheartedly. Her built up excitement fell short, though...

There was no sweet or passionate contact of lips. Instead, it all unexpectedly culminated in just a tender contact of brows. But even more unexpected, it just seemed right somehow. At the moment, nothing more was needed. Because despite being wholly innocent, this simple act managed to bridge the gap between their souls, allowing them to convey their feelings to each other the way mere words could never hope to accomplish. And it was all being displayed perfectly.

How they looked each other only with eyes staying open just enough...

How they breathed in complete sync with noses shyly touching...

How they smiled serenely with lips longing to meet...

Watching speechlessly, Marian the hopeless romantic doubted the existence of a deeper intimacy than this. No kisses or even those so called lovemakings could compare to this, she'd even dare say. But back to said intimacy, her dear friend seemed to have a rather bizarre idea about it...

For some reason, the smile on the lovely girl's face had begun to turn silly...

"Sensei..." And she blushed a bit. "If we keep this up any longer... you might get me pregnant, you know."

And the precious moment ended abruptly.

The boy instantly jerked away in utter surprise and disbelief.

"... You've got to be kidding."

"How so?" She frowned in displeasure, already missing the contact. "Caster told me that a girl might get pregnant after having such a close and meaningful moment with the boy she loves."

"And you believe her?!"

"Of course." Somehow she looked so sure of herself. "Babies are conceived from the shared love of two lovers, right? The lovers' intense feelings for each other flow through their magic circuits, and through a moment of heartfelt closeness, they combine and finally settle into the female's body. And ta-da!"

"... Just... what kind of logic is that?"

Here, the infamous Angrysviel suddenly made a return.

"Oh you just don't want to take responsibility, do you?!" Maroon orbs narrowed again, dangerously. "Because for all we know, I'm already pregnant now."

"What are you?! Five?!"

This was beyond incredulous.

He recalled how the girl every so often appeared somewhat naughty nowadays, thanks to her Servant certainly. The troublesome woman could be such a bad influence for her for sure. He had dreadfully thought that the 'corruption' had been too far gone and she had come to know much about things that were just too much for his prude mind. Really, the thought that by now she still had such an innocent mind was strangely hard to believe.

Her now cutely blushing face was more than enough proof, though. It also reminded him of how very young she actually was.

"Oh. My apologies..." He looked away regretfully. "You're technically not even two yet..."

Huge mistake.

With an added dosage of anger, the girl's face reddened even more. Then without warning, she grabbed a nearby pillow and hit it hard again and again on his stupid head. At first glance, this might seem girly of her, but in actuality, it was not something to be taken lightly. Because she had used a quick spell to reinforce said pillow, making the soft puffy thing as hard-hitting as a bag of bricks.

At this point, he wasn't sure if he had succeeded reconciling with her or failed miserably. But it was pretty much obvious that for the good of his health, he had to make a quick escape.

That was when his eyes found the conveniently ajar door, and beyond it, the one person that could save him. Without a second thought, he took the chance and rushed out. His convenient 'savior' had been so bewildered by what she just witnessed that she barely managed to back away in time to avoid collision. Though she couldn't exactly save herself from falling backward. Thankfully, he was more than prepared to quickly slip behind her and stop her fall. And by doing so, he could conveniently hide himself behind the greatest protection against his 'natural predator'.

As expected, Angrysviel stopped abruptly in her chase. Her eyes widened in panic as she hurriedly hid the pillow weapon behind her. It was apparent that she absolutely wasn't prepared to show her idol her supposedly hidden brutish tendency. All she could do now was try desperately to explain herself.

Good luck with that.

Nearly unable to refrain from snickering, the harmless priest decided to quietly slip away. It was really a quite compact apartment, though, even for someone who lived in a small house like him, so he couldn't exactly escape far. But he didn't think he needed to bother anymore. He simply sighed in relieve and took a seat at the low table in the living room. Here, he found some papers lying around.

Most likely his protege's work.

Upon closer inspection, it was actually the work he had entrusted her with recently. He decided to look more into it then. And soon later, he was glad that he did as he found a long forgotten but still eerily familiar face in one of the papers.

Inevitably, the memory of the Third Holy Grail War resurfaced.

/

Back at the harmless priest's humble residence, the pair of Servants had been waiting patiently for their Masters' return. Without the kids around, they didn't feel like doing anything. Everything seemed pointless somehow. Even Lancer had turned off the TV before the Formula 1 Grand Prix he had anticipated for days finished. And Caster, well, she didn't whine as much as usual today.

Evening came, and the two found themselves sitting together on a small pitiful-looking wooden bench at the front of the house. They had been in a somewhat companionable silence for the past half an hour. It felt kind of strange, though, seeing how they almost never stopped bickering in the past.

Things hadn't really returned to normal between them, it seemed...

Caster sighed sadly, genuinely missing those stupidly easy interactions they had before. Lately, she had to put some actual effort each time they talked, making it look as normal as she could to not worry the kids. She would keep trying, though.

"Ooh! I'm so hyped!" A grin appeared on her face. "If things go well, we would finally be done with the painful tensions and dramas between the kids."

"Don't be so sure, Caster. Even if they finally get together, as they always should be, I highly doubt we would ever stop seeing Iris bullying Shirou."

Oho, Lancer just laid out a good material to start a bickering! There was no way she would miss it.

"Ooh?!" She pretended to look scandalized. "What are you now? A relationship expert?"

"No."

"Sure you're not! I would be shocked if you've even ever been in a relationship."

"For the record, I used to be married in the past."

EEEH?!

"No way! Just no way!" Her eyes wide with disbelief. "No sane woman could ever stand being with you! No one could be that patient! Did you marry a statue or something maybe?"

"No." He shrugged lightly. "She was a precious childhood friend of mine. And yes, she was that patient, I suppose."

"You... loved her..."

"I still don't believe that I'm fully capable of love. But I can say for certain that I cherished her. I was truly fond of her. Perhaps I still am..."

"You... miss her..."

Ouch.

Her heart was breaking to pieces... but of course there was no way he could be aware of that.

In a rare moment of melancholy, Lancer stood up slowly. His gaze settled on the beginning of sundown in the horizon as if it could show him the past long gone. There, he fell silent for a moment, not out of regret, more of peaceful acceptance. It really didn't last long. Perhaps it was because he was in the company of someone he trusted enough, but he unexpectedly didn't seem to mind sharing a bit more about his thought.

"She's in a better place now. Happier. And that's more than I could hope for her... more than I could ever give her." He looked down slightly then as if in shame. "I don't deserve her. The fact that even our inevitable separation in the end still failed to bring me regret prove that much."

It was like he was saying that his inability to feel humanly emotions as a whole with all their flaws was the reason he believed he was incapable of love.

Caster could see that much somehow. But to her dread, it only served to make her heart reach out to him even more. She couldn't afford this. Mindlessly following her heart had done nothing good for her. It had been long overdue for her to stop being a delusional idiot.

There was no innocence left in her.

She'd better get her priority straight. And that would be being a good Servant for her Master - no - being a good friend for her silly little lady. Thus she said nothing more as they kept waiting.

It didn't take much longer fortunately.

Just as the day began to get dark, Akane's familiar voice resounded from the distance, and soon enough, her red metallic body returned to the small front yard. Her front passenger door quickly opened then just as her engine died down.

Caster couldn't hold her excitement.

"Iris!"

"Caster!"

The duo quickly lost themselves in a big hug.

At the sight, even someone as indifferent as Lancer couldn't help but smile gently. He soon looked the other way, though, when he heard an unmistakable snicker coming from his Master. His eyebrow rose slightly at this.

"What's wrong with you, Shirou?"

"Oh? Nothing wrong with me. I just still couldn't believe that a certain sassy lady doesn't seem to know how babies come to be."

Hearing that, said lady instantly gave him a death glare.

"I do know!" Again, she looked so self-assured here. "I get the idea, but it just seems bizarre, so I thought of a more logical explanation myself."

"L- Logical?"

He couldn't hold himself from fully laughing now. She scowled hard at this, but just before she resorted to violence, she suddenly got a better idea. The snarl on her lips quickly turned into a smug smirk.

"Alright then. Since you seem to know better than me, would you please explain to me how babies are made, sensei?"

Eh?

He stopped laughing abruptly as all eyes fell upon him expectantly at once. This was hands down one of the most hopeless predicament he had ever fallen into. Either to answer or not to answer would not end well for his already poor reputation. Thus, after a minute of nervous dilemma, he resorted to an answer that if only he had thought carefully, he might as well punch himself.

"Uh..." He gulped nervously. "By praying?"

* * *

 **So, it might not have been the focus lately, but the set-up is ready for the next part of the plot!  
**


	18. goodbye

**Sorry for the delay. There was not enough review so - Kidding! After the last chapter, I took some time to rework my Bleach story. And then, instead of immediately working on this** ** **one** , I felt the need to update the earlier** ** **chapter** s to make them better to read and understand. But enough with the excuses. Here's the beginning of the end of the first arc!**

 **18**

* * *

For generations, an eerie and foreboding atmosphere had been a perpetual presence surrounding Fortress of Millennia. But it had only worsened ever since the current head of the Yggdmillennias decided to call forth the two Heroic spirits whose formidable presence had brought a new command to the castle.

Sitting on his throne, the fearsome Lancer-class Servant briefly reminisced the long past time of ruling the land as he stared out the large window. He banished the sentimental thought immediately with a scowl to focus on the important matter at hands. His sharp gaze turned slightly to where the other Servant stood in silence near the same window.

"What do you think is the main reason behind Darnic's recent failure, Caster?"

It was about time the question came up.

Having been silent since his return with the news of failure, the armored Caster-class Servant turned around calmly from the view outside, ready to answer.

"Overconfidence. Both from the lord magus himself and the Servants he entrusted to the criminals."

"So even the legendary bowman still made such mistakes... However, it also means that his opponent is truly one to not be underestimated."

"Indeed. Even then, I have to admit that he was still proven right in his warning about the enemy leader."

"The priest?"

"Yes. At first glance, he appears just like a harmless adolescence. After further observation, however... I have to say that he is probably the most dangerous individual I have ever met."

Even more than the fearsome Vlad III himself...

Silence took over the shadowy throne room again as both Servants took a moment to contemplate this matter. They knew it was only a matter of time until the enemy came to their doorstep. And now it had become their priority to prepare for the inevitable confrontation. For that reason, Lancer had called his Master here to discuss it further.

Soon later, there was a faint knock on the large door before the aforementioned magus entered politely and gave the Servant on the throne a bow.

"My lord. Pardon me for keeping the both of you waiting."

"Darnic. Do you have something to say regarding the failure of your pawns game?"

"It will not be repeated."

There was a subtle hint of nervousness in the magus' posture. Noticing this, his Servant stood up from the throne and calmly took a couple of steps forward.

"It was not all for naught. Thanks to it, now we have a clearer idea of the threat the enemy possesses."

"Rest assured, my lord. I already prepared another plan to intercept -"

"No." Lancer's eyes narrowed in disapproval. "You are no warrior, Darnic. You don't know when a battle is inevitable."

"Then... What is your order, my lord?"

"Set up the highest possible defense for the fortress, especially the Grail chamber."

"It will be done immediately."

This time, the lord Servant nodded in approval at the answer before turning his gaze toward the other Servant.

"How much longer until your Noble Phantasm fully completed, Caster?"

"Not much longer. The final process can be started anytime. Then it will only require the final component "

A core with first-class Magic Circuits.

They all knew this. This particular weapon had been their long term project after all. However, with the sudden demand to finish it quicker, the magus had to raise a concern.

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid it would still take some time for our special made homunculus to be ready for that..."

"You know what to do, Darnic." Lancer's eyes narrowed again. "Provide an alternative."

"... Yes, my lord."

It should be no problem.

He had quite plenty of expendable 'family members'. Everyone knew that a sacrifice was often necessary, this time more than ever. After all, it would be for an ultimate weapon to protect Yggdmillennia's future and ambition.

/

The small living room of the Kotomine residence in Rome was really not a place to hold any kind of meeting. It was just cramped and somewhat dingy. Perhaps it was because the owner was an adolescence boy who lived so long by himself, but the lack of proper care and maintenance was clear to see. Thankfully, no one expected better from a hopeless case like him. Everyone seemed to have even already used to this place that it hardly mattered.

A certain pair of Master and Servant in particular were too absorbed in their own little talk that they didn't seem to pay attention to the meeting, much less the miserable couch they sat on. In their defense, it was so they didn't fall asleep out of boredom here. The subject of their talk was a whole lot more interesting than what the other three had been discussing about. Even the Master, who normally couldn't take her eyes off her sister idol, for once chose to talk with her Servant. And of course, said Servant didn't waste such a rare opportunity.

"So, Iris..." She leaned closer to the girl naughtily. "Now that you and your stupid Shirou are basically in an official relationship, when will you stop calling him sensei? It's about time, no?"

"No, not anytime soon."

"Why not?"

"It makes the new relationship feels excitingly... scandalous."

"Eh?"

Admittedly, Caster had expected to hear how her innocent Master wasn't ready, that it was too embarrassing or something. It actually took her by surprise then when the girl gave her a naughty smirk. Irisviel von Einzbern in all her very young life had never looked this naughty...

"Just think about it. You found the two of us in a bedroom together, and behind the closed door, you hear me cry _'sensei... mmh, yes! more... sensei... ouh! sen- seeei!'_ Now, doesn't that sound exciting and scandalous?"

There was only one correct response to that.

"Ooh you naughty girl, you!" With a squeal, she hugged the precious girl. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Oh that was nothing, Caster."

"Still, there's nothing more I can teach you. You've surpassed even this horny vixen!"

"You mean I'm now hornier than you?"

This was getting out of hands...

Their prude leader couldn't stand it any longer. Despite his reddening face, he had no choice but to interfere.

"... Ladies, pay attention, please."

Thankfully, he didn't have to repeat himself.

The two snapped out of their naughty little world instantly. Somehow, it hadn't crossed their mind that their interesting talk had not necessarily been a quiet one. Their eyes widened in embarrassment as they saw the others watching them in bewilderment. The girl, in particular, felt her face reddening at the strange look her favorite sister gave her. She was in desperate need to save her reputation now.

"I - I pay attention!" Indignantly, she scowled at him. "Multitasking is a common thing, you know."

A white eyebrow rose skeptically.

"Not common enough in your case..."

"Sensei!"

"Yes! Sorry!" He backed away a bit from where he stood to be safe. "If you really pay attention, though... Can you please give Caster a recap of what we have been discussing about?"

How smart of him.

This way, he'd be able to prove her guilty without risking his life. She couldn't realistically refuse to answer. Of course she could still bully him to get away with it, but she wouldn't dare to do so in front of her precious idol. It would be much easier for her to just apologize. She was too prideful for that, though. And she showed it here with a surprisingly confident smile.

For some reason, Irisviel suddenly acted like the high-class lady that she was by sitting primly as if she was about to make a presentation or something...

"First of all, we should thank Sister Marian for her amazing research. Without her, sensei alone would sooner become grumpy or worse edgy before he could figure out something." She took this chance to beam at her idol. "So, thank you, Sister Mari! You're the best!"

"Why, thank you, Iri! You're the sweetest!"

"You're the wittiest!"

"Well, you're the cutest!"

"But you're the hottest!"

The same white eyebrow twitched in impatience.

"Ladies, please?" He looked at them in disbelief. "... Just spare me a headache and get a room, would you?"

Thankfully, the mature one of the two was sensible enough to stop at once and give him an apologetic but somewhat mischievous look.

"Sorry, Father Shirou! Old habits die hard. I forgot Iri's your girlfriend now!"

"That's not what I -"

But his objection was interrupted by an unmistakable scoff from the immature one.

"You're just jealous. Man up and admit it, sensei."

"Yes! Yes, I'm jealous. Now would you please continue?"

He was so not jealous. Everyone knew that. Even the girl knew that, but it satisfied her enough to hear him say that. With a smug smile, she returned to her prim posture then, continuing where she left off.

"Thanks to Sister Marian's research regarding the messy auction, sensei has figured out that the ones behind it are the infamous Yggdmillennias. They tried to stop us because the original Grail secretly has been in their possession. He doesn't explain how he came to that conclusion, but he seems to be so convinced of that. Regardless, even if I go there now and confirm it, we can't just storm into their fortress. It would result in a serious problem and political mess, considering their high standing in society."

She finished it with another smug smile.

It was hard to believe that she actually payed attention just as she insisted...

Her sensei, knowing that the smug look was directed specially at him, felt somewhat disgruntled. However, he couldn't deny that he actually felt somewhat proud of her as well. Perhaps it was about time to start taking her seriously.

"That's good and all, Irisviel, but what's the solution?"

"Huh?" The smug look turned into a frown. "Hey, that's cheating! You guys haven't talked about any solution yet. I've really been paying attention, you know!"

"Well, I'm just asking if perhaps you have a solution in mind, considering that you've been 'silently' paying attention all along."

Oh...

Her eyes widened in surprise. It was such a pleasant surprise to her because she couldn't remember him ever asking her opinion about anything. As kind and considerate as he was, he usually just took the easy way out and decided everything for her like she was a child. So it was like a gift to her for their new relationship to be given a chance to finally prove herself. She was determined to not disappoint him.

Everyone waited patiently as Irisviel took a moment to think. She bit he lip slightly in concentration until her confident smile suddenly returned.

"I have a great idea!"

And the response she got for that alone was over the top already...

"Way to go, Iri!"

"Iris is awesome!"

"If she lived back in my era, she would've become a legend."

The only one who didn't give a response stared at his protege and the Servants in disbelief.

"Guys... Seriously? No wonder she's so spoiled."

"Someone is jealous~"

"And, you." He turned toward the cheeky girl. "Who teach you to be this manipulative?"

"You, sensei."

Oh...

By the looks everyone gave him, it seemed like he was the loser here. He had to agree this time, and sighed in defeat.

"Just... Let's hear your idea."

Now, it was her smug smile that returned as she acted all prim again.

"The Einzberns can officially send me as a representative to visit the Yggdmillennias. Considering our standings and recent business relationship between both families, they would not be able to refuse. I can use this opportunity to get a close insight of the Grail's status and also the enemy's strength. Of course, they would definitely suspect my motives and even detain me since they clearly know that our group is related to my family. But!" Her smile turned a bit scary. "Doing so to a lady of my status is unacceptable. No one would stop the Einzberns from sending an assault to the Yggdmillennias for such a serious offense."

That seriously sounded like something her sensei would come up with...

Her somehow being able to imitate his harmless smile only made her look all the more like a scheming villain like him. The others looked at her in surprise and worry. Whether she realized it or not, there was a malicious intent in her words. But it was even more worrying that she seemed to take the idea of putting herself at risk so lightly. She would not get any approval if that was really her intention.

Silence filled the cramped living room as everyone waited for their leader to say something. They expected that he would quickly shut down such a reckless idea, but for some reason, he took too long for that. It was completely unexpected then when he suddenly smiled.

"I should speak with Jubstacheit-dono then to discuss the arrangement."

He got to be kidding...

Save for Irisviel herself who looked more than pleased, everyone else looked at him as if he had lost his twisted mind. Caster in particular wanted to chew him off, but she could hold herself back surprisingly. She had come to acknowledge him enough to not question him every chance she got. Besides, it might be her chance to finally prove herself.

"Don't worry, guys! I'll take care of Iris!"

"You will not go with her, Caster."

"Eh?" She couldn't believe what she just heard. "Are you crazy, you stupid brat?! I'm her Servant! I'll go wherever she goes."

"And we appreciate your dedication. However, I'm afraid you need to stay back this time. If you go with Irisviel, they would notice you as a Servant quickly even in your spiritual form, and it would put her at even greater risk."

"But..."

She seemed to still have difficulty accepting it. Seeing this, her fellow Servant decided to help her.

"As a warrior, I don't deal with subtleties, but even I know that you'll be an even worse choice than me for this, Caster."

Not helpful at all.

"Shut your warrior trap, Bakarna! Try being subtle with four tails stuck to your butt!"

Fortunately, before the important meeting could turn into their typical bickering, her Master was ready to interfere.

"Caster, it's okay. I'm a big girl!"

Unfortunately, the Servant was still pissed.

"Say that once you have bigger boobs than me, little lady!"

"Hey! My boobs are actually look bigger without a bra... Sensei said so! They're almost as big as yours!"

"You wish. My boobs are incomparable!"

"Say that next to Sabrina!"

God...

Their prude leader wanted to cry.

"Ladies... please..."

"Sensei! My boobs are big enough, right?"

"Here, touch oneechan's boobs, and see how wrong your cheeky girlfriend is!"

Here, at last, he finally snapped.

"You two... Get. Out."

With that, he showed a glimpse of how terrifying Amakusa Shirou Tokisada could be. The two stiffened in surprise and immediately scrambled out just as told, not daring to speak any more word. He sighed tiredly after that as he flopped down on the couch they left behind.

His Servant took this chance to bring up the earlier concern.

"Are you really okay with Iris' idea?"

"No. It scares me..."

"Then why did you support it?"

"The fact that it's objectively a strategic idea aside, I know it's important to her, and it's important for me to acknowledge that. I need to learn to trust her so she could learn to trust herself."

"I see... You've grown up, Shirou."

Then, almost simultaneously, they chuckled together. And soon, the only female left here in the living room joined them. Her mentor was actually glad that she had not followed the other two because he had one request for her.

"Sister Marian... I'm sure you already expected this by now, but I still wish to ask you personally." He smiled softly at her, almost pleadingly. "Would you please accompany Irisviel and be there for her in my stead?"

"Father Shirou... You know that I will do just that with or without your permission." She smiled reassuringly in return. "Besides, considering my line of works, no one is more suited for this than me."

Exactly.

To be perfectly honest, he wouldn't have agreed with such a risky idea in the first place if he didn't have someone like her, someone he could trust completely both in person and and capability.

/

In less than a week, it had become official that the Einzberns were going to send a business representative to check up on the Yggdmillennias' relatively new homunculus program. On the Einzberns' side, all the preparation for their representative had been made beforehand to proceed immediately. No one needed to know that said representative would actually come from Rome. No one needed to know that she was not your typical magus nobility. No one needed to know that she had a pair of dotting Servants that would not hesitate to raze a whole country if something were to happen to her.

This morning, as they waited for her escorts, they both made the girl sit between them on the small bench in front of the house. They spent this last moment together chatting lightly about all sort of things that for some reason, every so often, included bashing her supposedly boyfriend.

"That kid..." Caster groaned loudly. "I honestly expected him to pop your cherry before you leave, but you tell me he hasn't even kissed you yet?!"

"Yea..."

"That's a whole new level of incompetent! He really needs to learn from this lewd oneechan. I didn't hesitate at all when I stole your first kiss, remember?"

Though she herself didn't seem to remember that she was not supposed to speak about that... And now a certain protective big bro found out... His cold blue eyes turned toward her menacingly.

"... What did you say, Caster?"

"No, Lancer..." She felt herself getting pale quickly. "It was a while ago... Please don't kill me! I'm way too sexy to die!"

Thankfully, she was saved by a hearty giggle from her Master.

"It's okay, Lancer." The girl looked at them in amusement. "Caster is a good kisser at least."

"If you say so... But I have to agree with Caster, Iris. Your Shirou is on a whole new level of incompetent. At this rate, I fear that we would have to wait even longer for Amakusa M6..."

He still remembered that...

More importantly, the great hero looked rather depressed now for some reason. His sitting companions shared a worried look for a moment before the one who was supposed to be the mother of the fabled M6 hesitantly decided to fix this.

"Uh, there's no need to worry, Lancer! We'd see him... eventually?" She awkwardly looked at the supposed father then. "I- Isn't that right, sensei?"

No answer.

Shirou remained stood silently a good distance away from the weird trio, pretending not to hear. It was better this way. He had decided that it was not worth the effort to response, much less take part in their often disturbing nonsense. Besides, his mind was already too occupied to care.

Even here, basically at the last minute, he still tried to find a possible way for him to accompany Irisviel. As good as he was at hiding it, he couldn't brush off his worry, much less cast it off completely. Alas, there was just no way around it without being recognized easily by his old enemy.

He was getting frustrated.

Fortunately, someone snapped him out of his thought just then. Unfortunately, she did it by tugging his ear hard.

"Sensei." Maroon eyes narrowed dangerously. "If I ask you something, you're expected to answer."

"Y- Yes."

Good boy.

Her hand dropped back to her side then as she stood beside him all too innocently with an excited smile.

"Oh I can't wait to go on this trip with Sister Mari! Just the two of us."

"This is your 'great idea', and now you call it a trip?" He tried not to scoff. "And it's not just the two of you."

"Huh? You mean someone else will go with us? But why?! We so don't need a third wheel!"

The real answer was to better protect her, but it would offend her for sure, thus he tried a different approach.

"A rich lady of your status needs at the bare minimum a pair of personal maid and guard. It would appear suspicious otherwise."

"Very true..." Her eyes widened slightly. "If Sister Mari is the guard, though, who's the maid?"

"Sister Marian is the maid..."

"Eh?!"

She thought that her favorite sister was too kick-ass to be a maid. But as the image of that wonderful athletic figure in a maid outfit appeared in her mind, she couldn't help but smile giddily. A dirty thought invaded her mind almost instantly, and her smile turned into a naughty one. This not so innocent look on her face didn't escape her supposedly boyfriend's notice. Instead of letting it bother him, though, he smiled in understanding.

"You know, if you like her that much, it's not too late, Irisviel... I wouldn't mind."

"W- What?" Her eyes widened in surprise and maybe fear. "You want to b- break up already?!"

"Well, seeing how obsessed you are with her, it's rather hard to believe that you really want to be with me instead."

"... I idolize Sister Mari. Admittedly, I'm physically attracted to her, even, but I really don't see her that way." She looked at him earnestly and almost pleadingly. "You're the only one... always."

Her emotional moment ended abruptly, however, when she heard him let out an amused snort. He was just messing with her, she realized with a reddening face. She paid him back in kind then with an empowered stomp on his foot, strong enough to even crack the pavement he stood on. It was good to see his face going pale like this. Satisfied, she stood a little bit away from him as she innocently resumed waiting for her idol.

Soon later, a white 1986 BMW 735iL with suspiciously German number plate arrived.

Irisviel watched in excitement as the brand new luxury saloon was parked beside Akane. Her thirst for driving immediately resurfaced in full force, but somehow, it went ignored as soon as she saw the person coming out of the front passenger door.

Her... beloved idol?

She couldn't believe her eyes at the sight of her favorite sister in a distinctive Einzbern clothing. It came to her quickly what it meant, but she was still surprised by what she saw. The older girl really looked like her family member, even more so with the natural crimson hair bleached to be as fair as her own.

Marian, seeing her dear friend's flabbergasted look, silently approached her with a mischievous smile before bowing down demurely.

"I am at your service, Lady Irisviel."

"S- Sister Mari?!"

Said lady's face reddened cutely, and squealing in adoration, the sister in disguise couldn't resist giving her a bear hug.

So this was the maid...

... Who was the guard then?

As if on cue, the driver door quietly opened, and came out a tall young man with another distinctive Einzbern clothing and long hair with the family's fair hue as well. Unlike the woman before him, however, he walked up with purposeful grace to the random priest standing nearby before kneeling down on one knee.

"Grandmaster Shirou. Victor Carlsson at your service."

"..."

There was an awkward silence as everyone stared at him in bewilderment. And the first to snap out of it was none other than the only real Einzbern present.

"You again!" She pointed her finger accusingly. "Stop kneeling down like that to your poor grandmaster of whatever! It's disturbing!"

The knight in disguise looked up in puzzlement for a moment. He looked simply lost until his so called grandmaster gave him a sheepish nod. With that, he stood up and walked up politely to the scowling girl before kneeling down to her as well.

"Lady Amakusa. Victor Carlsson pledges his sword of honor to your service."

"..."

Another awkward silence ensued as the lady in question didn't know whether to feel disturbed that this overly earnest knight was supposed to be her guard or pleasantly surprised at the new title she was addressed with. One thing for certain, though, she looked suspiciously giddy as she repeated her new title again and again in her mind.

And her lewd Servant took this opportunity to step up excitedly.

"Ooh, who's this handsome gentleman?" With a seductive smile, Caster moved closer. "Kneel down to me too, handsome! I'll show you how a real lady's like. And if you give me a ring while you're at it, I'll give you my smoking body as a bonus."

Too bad for her, the one responded was none other than her own Master.

"You stay away from him, Caster! This knight, as disturbingly weird as he is, is Sister Mari's. That means he's off limits!"

Hearing that, said sister stepped back immediately with a reddening face.

"No, Miss Caster!" She chuckled nervously. "What Iri means is, the Knight-Commander is my superior in the Order."

But her clarification went ignored as the other Servant stepped up as well.

"I never thought you to be a homewrecker, Caster." Lancer shook his head in disappointment. "The two are clearly married."

Now the sister felt like crying.

"We're clearly not married, Mister Lancer..."

Thankfully, her dear mentor decided to step in at last. After silently taking the initiative to put the rich lady's suitcase into the new car's luggage, he seamlessly assumed his role as their leader with a gentle _ahem_ that got everyone's attention.

"Seeing that everyone is getting along already, I suppose a bit of explanation is now in order." He gestured at the still kneeling knight. "Sir Victor here acts as our beloved lady's personal guard just like how Sister Marian does as her personal maid. And I can give my words that as the esteemed Knight-Commander of the Order of Templars, his capacity is unquestionable."

That was good to hear. Unlike Caster who was still too busy ogling the knight to care, Lancer nodded in approval.

"It is reassuring to know that Iris would be in a good care with them."

Even so, the girl still didn't like that it wouldn't be just her and her idol.

"Still not necessary, though." She pouted stubbornly. "What were you thinking, sensei? Surely the Knight-Commander is too busy for this."

"Well, Sir Victor needs a vacation once in a while."

"Hmm, true... Maybe it'd do something to that disturbing tendency."

"Glad you agree." He smiled gently. "Now, it won't be for long, but it's time to say goodbye."

Right...

Somehow, she hadn't really thought about that. She had been so hyped about the trip to realize that she would have to leave her little family. Like he said, it wouldn't be for long, she knew that, but it still shook her to think that she would be separated from them. She had always been with them everyday ever since she met each one of them. Now she had to say goodbye...

She hated goodbye. There was nothing good about it. It should've been called badbye really because it always hurt. She refused to say it.

Without a word, Irisviel threw her arms around her surprised sensei and hugged him tightly. Tears threatened to fall down her face, but she held it back as best as she could. It would only make them worried. All she could do now as he wrapped his arms around her in return was savor this last moment thoroughly.

"I'll miss you... " She snuggled her face close to his neck. "Will you miss me?"

"Much more than you'll miss me."

"Impossible. Everyone knows I love you more than you love me, so it's only natural that I'll miss you more."

"If you say so." He chuckled lightly. "Always love your logic."

His arms left her body after that, and she reluctantly pulled away from him with a pout.

Her beloved oneechan and oniichan had been waiting for her with sad smiles, so she eagerly pulled them both together into one big hug. No words were said as they nuzzled her fondly and patted her hair. It felt so nice and warm, but again, she had to pull away. There was still one left after all.

Their pet car had been waiting too, so she quickly walked up to her.

"Hey, Akane. Take this!"

With that, she gave the front bumper a hard kick. Everyone looked on in shock, the owner most of all. Seeing a noticeable dent, he looked at her in disbelief.

"... What has she done wrong to you?"

"Well, she often seems to get more love from you than even me."

"..."

Just like everyone else, he was left speechless. She took this opportunity to go back to him for the last time. She felt emboldened somehow until she was bold enough to stop so close before him, put her hands on his shoulders, and stand on her tiptoes to get the one thing she had been dying for.

Their very first kiss.

It was undoubtedly sweet and memorable but pretty much one sided since he was too surprised to respond, so after a moment, she pulled away with a pout.

"You're a bad kisser."

"W- What?"

"You're a bad kisser, sensei. It's understandable, I guess, since it's your first and all..." Her eyes narrowed. "But I expect you to do better next time!"

She gave him one last cheeky smile then before turning around to start her trip. In all honestly, it was very hard for her. Her body screamed at her to turn back around and never leave his side. But she had to do this. She wanted to make him proud. Then maybe he would love her in return near as much as she loved him. Then maybe he would be the one to kiss her next time, and the kiss turned heated, and one thing lead to another, and, and, ooh!

She was turning into Caster...

/

That evening in the Germany military's Special Mages Division HQ, the elite Servants Unit spent their past working hours in their private lounge as usual. Though lately, it was not quite often for all five of them to be found together like this. Works had been quite hectic. That was why instead of relaxing, they still occupied themselves with paperwork or research. Even little Assassin looked busy as she learned to write a report. The only exception was unsurprisingly Rider.

Seeing the man lazily sat on his stinky couch with his feet on the coffee table and an adult magazine in his hands, Archer couldn't help but grit her teeth.

"If you want to be useless, fine." She gave the offending magazine a look of disgust. "But at least throw that piece of garbage away! We have a child here."

"No, we don't. You still haven't even let me sleep with you yet."

"You know what I mean!"

"Nee-san, please. I haven't seen a naked woman for years since I live here. So, unless you want to strip for me, just leave me be."

Her face reddened at that, and she quickly returned to her work with a huff. He glanced her way in satisfaction, but then stiffened suddenly in alarm as Saber frowned at him in confusion.

"Wait, Rider. What did you do to those two women you picked up from the bar yesterday night then?"

Fuck.

"Saber! DAMMIT!"

He couldn't bring himself to really get mad, though, when he received a cold glare from the woman of his dream. He deserved it, he knew. Although they were not in a real relationship, it was still shitty of him to think that he could get away with such a thing while she was away on a mission. With a groan, he threw his damn magazine away then in defeat.

"Oh, come on! This mighty Rider is a man. He needs some action once in a while." He looked bitterly at his buddy. "You'll do the same if you don't get to sleep practically every night with chief's massive racks as pillows."

"You're imagining things."

"Reaaally?" He smirked at their leader then. "What do you say, chief?"

No response, like at all.

That was what happened normally at his teasing, but this time, she didn't even seem to listen at all. From the way she slightly chewed on some stray hair from her long blonde braid as she did occasionally, it appeared that she was completely focused on something. He looked back at her partner then questioningly, but the man shook his head in return.

"Don't bother her. She just found a new lead."

"Eh? Her big bro?"

"Yes."

Interesting.

They had heard about their young leader's so called brother who just so happened to be the leader of the group that gave them trouble a while back. She had not been the same ever since she found him again after so long but was met with a harsh rejection in the end. Even though she still tried to appear as strict and professional as normal, everyone was still concerned about her. Rider was no exception, though in his case, he was also interested in the gossip material.

"Do tell."

"Apparently, there was a Templar raid on the infamous grand auction held recently near Rome. And Red Lancer was spotted briefly before he broke through the roof, taking someone most likely another Servant with him."

"Damn." He whistled lowly. "That had got to be crazy."

"Indeed. The ensuing battle, although so far in the sky, was said to shake the ground until he brought down his opponent literally like a falling meteor."

"Dammit. Now I wish I was there!"

"Same."

Silence fell for a moment then as they imagined the sky battle until suddenly Rider frowned at his buddy.

"What about your brother in law, though?"

He got a weird look for that from Saber who then just shrugged.

"Well, it seems that he has some connection with the Templars. That's why Sabrina had immediately requested some information from our contact within the Order after hearing the news."

"He seems like a shady villain to me. Does she really plan to go after him after being rejected?"

"About that..."

Silence again.

"I do."

That answered it.

Everyone's attention was immediately focused on their leader as she stood up and as usual adjusted her glasses. It appeared that she had gathered enough clues from the lead she found to make a decision. The sharp look of resolve in her tired teal eyes told that much. She was ready to take an immediate action. No one could dissuade her once she was like this. Saber knew this better than anyone, so as usual, he gave her his support without question.

"I'll prepare the car. When do you want us to leave?"

"No, Saber." She smiled in gratitude but shook her head. "As much as I need your presence with me, as a Magus Captain of the Division, I cannot involve you in a personal matter."

As professional as ever.

It was one of the reasons Archer really admired this young woman. She was one of the most independent and dependable females she had ever met. Still, she couldn't help but worry after what happened before.

"Are you sure, leader? I personally think Saber should come with you. The rest of us can handle everything here if for just a few days. I mean, we can always force Rider to work overtime."

"Nee-san!"

He got no sympathy, though, after his 'cheating'. Desperate, he turned pleadingly to his chief. But she ignored him as usual to smile at his neesan instead.

"I am sure, Archer. I know I can trust you with everything here as my second in command."

"... Understood. Work overtime for Rider it is then."

"NEE-SAN!"

All he got were laughs this time.

Even Sabrina couldn't help but chuckle as she watched her little family. It wouldn't be for long, but she would still miss them. With a heavy heart, she decided to retire early and prepare for her leave the next day. Then her eyes met her partner. They both just looked at each other in silence for a moment until she gave him a soft smile as a silent goodbye.

* * *

 **During the update, I decided to change** **how our two main original characters look** ** ** **a bit****. ****As you can see, Sister Marian now has crimson hair although she bleached it here. As for Sabrina, she's the blonde one now** **.**


	19. guests

**Another late update... But there's a good enough excuse too this time. If you check Frozenseed's profile, you'll see that this unreliable author has a new Fate/ story. And of course it's another Amakusa Shirou centric. No other casts from RoF, though, sadly...**

 **19**

* * *

The constant view of windy meadows along the quiet road in Transylvania could be so calming and peaceful. However, after gazing out at this view for hours on end from within the back passenger seat of the white BMW luxury saloon as it drove steadily through the road, a certain Einzbern lady felt bored. Oh how she wished she was the one driving. Sadly, it was not proper for a lady of her status to drive herself, they said. It was such a shame really. The new car seemed pretty cool, not nearly as fast as the red one she was oh so familiar with, but much more comfortable.

Too comfortable.

The spoiled lady pouted slightly as she tore her gaze away from the window to check on the person seated soundlessly to her left. It had been a while since her favorite sister / temporary maid fell asleep comfortably there beside her. The comfort the luxury car provided had costed her a lot of exciting talks to help with the boredom in this quite long travel.

Maybe she just needed to get a bit more creative...

An idea struck her as she observed the older girl's pretty but not quite catchy enough features.

Sister Marian could really use a bit of makeups once in a while. And surely she wouldn't mind if Irisviel gave her some as a surprise while she was asleep like this. With this thought, the naughty girl excitedly searched for her purse where she kept the few cosmetics she had.

Only to find it missing.

It seemed that she had left it in her boyfriend's dingy bedroom...

That boy really brought his bad luck to her.

Sighing in disappointment, she was about to return to the boring sightseeing when her gaze fell on the sister's slightly parted lips. She gulped then somewhat nervously. This was so tempting, she thought as she remembered kissing those very lips passionately not long ago. Though it would be borderline cheating since she had finally gotten her dream boyfriend recently. Her heart said it was really a no-no. But then again, said boyfriend didn't seem to mind with her silly attraction to this favorite sister of hers...

Just this once!

Just a quick peck...

Her face began to grow warmer and her heart beat faster as she oh so carefully leaned closer to that pretty face. Again, she gulped slightly as her own lips parted. Just another inch... then she stopped short involuntarily, suddenly feeling unwanted eyes on this supposedly private moment.

They were not alone in this car. Someone had to drive it after all. But oh why did that unappreciated someone had to pick now of all time to be a nuisance after having been silent like a good piece of furniture?!

The irritated lady slowly turned to meet the uncharacteristically nervous gaze of the so called nuisance through the rear view mirror.

"You..." Maroon eyes narrowed dangerously. "What are you looking at?! Never seen girls kissing before?"

"N- No! Pardon me, Lady Amaku- I mean, Lady Iri..."

It was quite a shame, said lady thought briefly in disappointment. As much as she enjoyed being called by that unexpected new title, it had to wait till this 'business trip' finished. So she quickly put aside the thought and returned to glare.

"Then what's your problem?"

Fortunately, the nuisance who just happened to be the Templars' very own Knight-Commander in disguise managed to regain his composure quickly here.

"Pardon me, Lady Iri. This unworthy knight just thinks that it's truly unbecoming of someone of your virtue and status to be unfaithful, much less to someone as caring as Grandmaster Shirou."

The lady's face reddened instantly in embarrassment and even shame. She honestly felt guilty now for thinking about kissing another after making a big fuss for the longest time about her beloved's late lover, a lover who had never even had the chance to have a kiss with him... Oh, she really was such a nasty, selfish, whiny, childish little bitch. Here, she had to admit that the loyal knight did have a point.

"I know..." She looked down in shame. "Thank you for reminding me."

"It's an honor, Lady Iri."

"Sure thing. But..." She looked up again somewhat mischievously. "Are you sure you're not just butthurt, Sir Commander?"

"Excuse me, Lady Iri? What could you possibly mean here?"

He was clearly confused, but to his dread, the cheeky lady gave an all too innocent shrug.

"Oh, I don't know. I just got the feeling that you couldn't stand seeing girl kissing girl..."

"I don't have such prejudice."

"Oh, then, me kissing 'someone'? You have a crush on me or something?"

"NO!" He looked simply shocked. "You belong to the Grandmaster only! I would never dare, not that such thoughts have even crossed my mind to begin with."

"That's good to hear. But then, could it be that it's about 'someone' kissing Sister Marian?"

Right then, the luxury car's steady pace was interrupted for the first time even just slightly.

Bingo.

The driver silently berated himself for such a rookie mistake that should've never been made by someone as professional as him, but here as expected of someone of his caliber, he was prepared for anything.

"I suppose that should've been a given, Lady Iri? Sister Marian might be a sister in tittle alone, but it still feels natural to associate her as a true woman of the church. She plays this role exceptionally well after all, as expected of one of our best agents."

"True." The lady still looked mischievous, though. "Here I thought that the esteemed Knight-Commander considered me as a worthy rival..."

"... Rival?"

"Yes. It's no secret that I'm physically interested in Sister Marian. And it would be understandable if something similar goes for you too. She's just that hot."

"... I think you misunderstand."

Uh huh.

This person might be the best knight in the Order, one of the bests in history even, but he would obviously make one very poor agent. Not counting the light reddening of his face, the change in his expression alone belied his claim. At the moment, he looked like a teenager having his first crush. And that might not be too far fetched, considering how strict Templar lifestyle was supposedly be.

It would be fun to push him to the limit, the cheeky lady decided.

"Oh well, since we're not rivals, I guess it wouldn't make me seem like a bitch to tell you that me kissing her is nothing new. I've even 'slept' with her once."

Again, the car's steady pace was suddenly interrupted, and more noticeable this time as the driver quickly took a deep, calming breath.

"... I see."

"It was good. I learned quite a lot, you know, to prepare me for eventually doing it with sensei sooner or later."

"..."

"Though, the morning after, she kindly rejected me, saying that she prefers guys more. So, if you consider me as a rival, it would be a good news for you."

There, what a good 'rival' she was.

It seemed that the knight thought so too. He nodded at her gently through the mirror. There was an unexpected tinge of regret in his gaze, however.

"I'm afraid it would still not make that much difference, Lady Iri. Even if what you assume is true, I have no chance to begin with."

"Huh? How so?"

"I presume she has already told you about this, considering how close the two of you are..."

"Told me what?"

"... That she has feelings for the Grandmaster for the longest time."

Oh...

Irisviel began to feel uneasy as she remembered that one particular talk in the shopping mall.

"But I thought she had gotten over it. She said it was in the past..."

"She is considered as one of our best agents for many reasons, and concealing the truth is one of them."

"But then... why has she been giving me the most support if... if she still likes sensei all along?"

"Please don't take this wrongly. She's certainly always been most genuine in her motive if it concerns the both of you." The knight awkwardly tried to make up for revealing too much. "I suppose she just loves the idea of you both being together more than her own fantasy that has been proven to be unrequited."

That still sounded hurt, though, a lot...

It was hard not to feel somewhat guilty as she turned back to the still asleep sister. In all honesty, she wouldn't mind that much sharing the love of her life if it was with this amazing woman. Perhaps they could even have what Caster called as threesome or something, but she quickly shook off the idea, admitting that she had let that lewd Servant of hers influence her way too much lately. Besides, that would also mean dishonoring her sacrifice. Thus, in the end, she decided to just give this most favorite person in her life the most heartfelt embrace.

This was the least she could offer in return for everything...

Despite all the praise, however, the female agent's ability seemed to have been still underestimated here. She had actually been awake ever since her dear friend snapped earlier, allowing her to secretly listen to the whole conversation that followed. Mixed emotions swirled within her chest. And here, despite all her skills, it wasn't easy for her to keep pretending to be asleep in the receiving end of such affection.

/

Just like a doll.

Just like how she used to be.

Irisviel was surprised to find herself still remember how to behave like her old self before she got 'corrupted' by her Servant. This was just as they had planned beforehand. Here, having just arrived at Fortress of Millennia at last, she played her part as a typical emotionless homunculus lady of the Einzberns, only talking when necessary. After all, it would be best to just let her pair of 'retainers' who were both much more experienced than her handle things like formalities.

The two Templars in disguise knew what they were doing.

No one suspected a thing.

Well, except for the infamous Yggdmillennia family head himself perhaps.

The magus lord had personally greeted his esteemed guests as soon as their luxury saloon arrived at the castle's main courtyard. True to his reputation in the Mage's Association, he was an exceptionally cunning and charismatic noble. It was a good thing that the Einzbern retainers, the maid in particular, seemed to be capable enough to keep up with his not so pleasant pleasantries and divert any unwanted attention from their lady. Even then, the few times his shrewd gaze landed on her, the quiet lady felt strange yet unmistakable dread. It was as though he recognized her from somewhere...

Oh well, it might be nothing serious really.

After all, Irisviel was not the only Justeaze-type homunculus to ever exist.

Still, she silently sighed in relief when told that the official business about the homunculus program would be scheduled later on to allow the guests to have some rest first. It seemed that the Ygdmillennias still had decent enough courtesy despite their reputations, but then again, it was only proper. It was already quite late in the afternoon when they arrived after all.

Now, in the luxurious guest room she shared with her 'personal maid', the young lady threw her tired body into the soft mattress of a queen-sized bed.

"Phew!"

She received a chuckle then from said maid who just finished checking the room thoroughly for any spying devices only to find none thankfully enough.

"Oh, come now, _my lady_." A teasing smile now. "You've barely done anything more than looking bored so far."

"That's exactly the reason, Sister Mari! Seriously. I can't believe I could live my early days like that in the past. It was just so soul-crushing!"

"You've just spent way too much time with Miss Caster."

"Yeah." She sighed grumpily. "She's such a bad influence. I guess this trip is really a good idea, at least to get some break from her troublesome presence."

They both chuckled together this time until a somewhat serious expression returned to the agent's face.

"Well, as long as you don't forget our main purpose here." She paused a bit to get her point across. "So, Iri, have you sensed that particular presence here?"

"Yes, almost immediately. It's from deep within the castle. Sensei seems to be right about it."

"Good. And you seem to be right that the Yggdmillennia would not let us leave easily. That means we must carefully spend our remaining time here focused on learning about their strengths and weaknesses."

"And their Servants."

"Exactly."

A look of understanding was shared between them, but then the lady suddenly wondered about something.

"I know this is all my idea. I should've been the one to think about everything here, but we all know I'm just not good at that. And now I could only wonder how we're going to keep in touch with sensei and the others." She fidgeted sheepishly. "Sorry..."

"Well, modern communication devices are obviously not possible. Those are prohibited for guests here. Any kind of familiar is also out of the question, seeing that it would be easily discovered. But no worries!" The agent smiled triumphantly as she took something out of her bag. "We Templars have this."

"... A book?" Maroon eyes blinked in puzzlement. "... An empty book?"

Her clueless look almost made the older girl laugh.

"Not just any book, silly! It's a magical item. Anything we write in it will also appear in its matching counterpart."

"And sensei has the matching book..."

"Smart girl."

Fascinating...

The amazed look on said girl's face was clearly apparent. She looked borderline obsessed, even, that her acting retainer silently made note to keep the magical book away from her at least until it was no longer necessary here. Thankfully, it seemed that they would need to drop this matter along with the rest of their discussion for the moment.

There was a soft knock on the door.

And it looked like Caster's bad influence had extended to her Master's attention span as well because almost instantly, the girl seemed to forget about the book as she moved to open the door excitedly.

"Hi there!"

Outside was another girl about her age appearance wise in a maid outfit. Her shoulder length light brown hair bobbed slightly as she immediately bowed down in respect. Though she looked up slowly after that, showing her timid red eyes.

"Good evening, Lady Einzbern. I would be your attendant during your stay here as Yggdmillennia's honored guest."

"Oh, nice!" The lady smiled warmly, already knowing about this maid's nature from appearance alone. "Come inside!"

"But, my lady, I'm just a -"

"What? A servant? It matters little to me." Here her smile softened then. "A homunculus? It matters even less. As you can see, I am one too!"

As it seemed, that was too much of a surprise to the poor maid who could only gasp meekly. And the amused lady took this chance to pulled her inside before closing the door again. Her smile turned into a grin then as she pointed at her favorite sister.

"Over there is my precious friend and also maid. Sister Mari!"

The so called maid gave a friendly smile and wave that were returned with another bow by the real maid.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both. Thank you, Lady Einz-"

"Irisviel or just Iri! Whichever you like."

"... As you wish, Lady Iri?"

"Much better. Now what's your name?"

For some reason, that simple question made those timid eyes widen nervously.

"M- My name?"

"Mhm."

"... S3?"

"Uh, come again?"

Here the nervousness only intensified.

"... S3, my p- production series..."

"..."

Was this what it felt like to be soaked with a bucket of cold water?

Irisviel couldn't contain her shock. She had never thought how good she had it being 'born' as an Einzbern with noble status no less. She had never had to work even once in her young life. Though she could also recall that her other family members of lesser status even the servant ones also had it good enough. It was only natural perhaps since in this day and age, her family practically consisted of almost entirely homunculi. The same could not be expected from a family that had just started their homunculus program recently.

Without hesitation, she quickly pulled this girl who was her kind, who wasn't fortunate enough to even have a name, into a hug. Understandably, the poor girl stiffened in complete shock at this, not knowing what to do.

"L- Lady Iri?"

"Shh. It's okay, Esther."

"... Esther?"

"That's your name from now on. Esther von Einzbern! I adopt you into my family." The lady grinned rather smugly. "But keep it a secret for the time being!"

Just like that?

Was that even how it worked?

Who knew.

She could think about all the troublesome details later or maybe just make her kinda shady but surprisingly influential boyfriend do it for her.

/

Some shady thing was happening in a lone church located several miles outside Trifas, Transylvania. A day after a certain white BMW 735iL drove past the old building, another BMW, this time a red M5, even stopped there. The young priest that came out of it would not be such an odd sight if not for his fluffy white hair and the distinctive red vestment he wore. However, it was none other than his two companions that made things seem shady.

One was a man with hair suspiciously just as white who should belong in some bar singing some rocks, and the other one was a woman with tacky and most likely dyed pink hair who should belong in the next alley selling some questionable services.

Surely none of them except for the priest just because he was a priest belonged in this humble church. Surprisingly enough, however, the old priest who ran the place had kindly welcomed them only after a few words from the young one. Perhaps it was because of the boy's all too innocent and harmless looks. But most people suspected that the other two had actually threatened the poor old man and even the boy himself to do some shady things there. As a result, the church became even less visited than it already was beforehand.

It was truly concerning.

Those three were truly monsters, well, except for the boy perhaps since he was just a boy with a priest attire if nothing else!

If only they knew that said boy was actually the worst of the worsts here...

But enough of that!

It was none of those people's business anyway.

Paying no mind to those things, the shady trio had been cozily taking up residence in the church as guests since they arrived. They were shady, alright, but the good kind of shady. Perhaps. Well, at least the old priest running the place thought so, seeing how welcoming he was, giving them foods and all. It was really thanks to him that they could set up a temporary base here to do their shady things undisturbed.

That particular night, however, the shady thing they were doing looked to be too stupid to even be considered shady.

The three sat close together on the front row seat of the church with the priest boy in the middle. They had been there for the past hour, strangely enough quiet. Even stranger, their eyes were focused intensely on what seemed like a random book in the boy's hands like they were expecting something to magically appear on the empty page.

Yeah, this was stupid, alright.

The female one of the three groaned inwardly at the sheer stupidity she had been stuck in. Yeah, it had been explained early on how the stupid book worked. And they were here expecting the first report from the other team. That still didn't make them look any less stupid. Really, she would've left the other two and gone to sleep already if only she wasn't feeling self conscious about her very poor team play so far. So she had no choice but suck it up here.

Bored, the woman lazily rested her head on the boy's shoulder. But just as she was about to snooze off, something started to appear slowly on the empty page. They all immediately looked on in anticipation.

 _Sensei..._

Oh they knew so damn well who it was.

 _Come..._

However, that one word was enough to make them stiffen in anticipation and even alarm.

 _... I'm wet..._

For a moment, the three just blinked dumbly at those 'innocent' little words on the paper until they all suddenly fell forward from the seat at once. Then as they slowly got up, the two males for some reason gave the lone female dirty looks. Seeing the accusation here, she couldn't help feeling offended.

"What?! Why are you two giving a dashing woman like me such looks for no reason?"

"..."

The boy just shook his head in disbelief before returning to sit. The man on the other hand, he gave the clueless woman an even more accusing and somewhat threatening look. And it took her aback for sure because she got it this time. Maybe she was overthinking it here, but she swore he was telling her that if she dared corrupt his sweet little sister even more than this, he'd have her tails on a platter...

Her face went pale instantly.

Was it so wrong of her to give that silly little lady some very much needed education?

Oh these people were just way too prude!

Grumbling angrily, the woman returned to the seat with a huff, and just in time for the earlier message to get scratched hastily and another message to appear.

 _ _Sorry_ , everyone! I turned my back for a second, and that naughty girl finally got her hands on the book!_

Ah, here it was, the one they could always count on at last.

The next few moments were spent quietly reading the other team's detailed report. It was quite a surprise that they managed to gather plenty information already about the enemy's strengths and weaknesses. Even the layout of the fortress itself was put in quite details. Some sound suggestions were also given here and there on how to plan their next move. All in all, this was more than expected of them already.

To be fair, though, it was more than likely that the credit mostly went to the seasoned agent of the team.

The one who taught her couldn't help but smile proudly. He felt even prouder then when they soon received the much anticipated information about the enemy Servants. And it was all more than enough for him to confidently identify the two formidable Heroic Spirits.

It would need a very careful approach.

Once the report was deemed enough and done for the time being, the boy as their leader wasted no time to discuss this matter with the other two with him.

"Alright. Now, based on the information provided to us, I can safely deduce that the two enemy Servants are of Lancer-class and Caster-class."

Somehow, that little piece of info made the present Caster scrunch up her nose in displeasure.

"Hold up! We already have a super hot pair of Lancer and Caster here. It would be confusing to call them the same, no?"

Surprisingly enough, the Lancer one nodded in agreement.

"She has a point, Shirou. What should we call them then?"

"Hmm, I can guess their real identity already, but you know, it feels rather awkward to call other Servants just by their true name, doesn't it?" Receiving nods of agreement, the leader thought quickly. "Then, how about Black Lancer and Black Caster?"

Almost instantly, he received such unimpressed looks in return from the pair of Servants.

"Kid..." The female one sighed in pity. "You really don't have that much creativity, do you?"

"He's just hopeless..." The male one sighed in greater pity. "I feel sorry for the children he would inevitably sire, except for Amakusa M6 for obvious reason."

"Well, to be fair, Iris would just name them herself."

"Indeed. Lucky for you, Shirou."

How depressing...

That was so mean of those two. It was as though they pretended to not notice the boy's depressed look as he sulked there just between them. He had never even planned to have children, considering his unfortunate fate. But to be told blatantly enough here that he would be way too incompetent to name them anyway was simply depressing.

/

Yes, they were here officially for an important business regarding homunculus program. What business here supposedly meant was doing some inspection and talking about technical matters. It was very fortunate that that the two acting retainers especially the female one had taken the time to learn about this subject beforehand because the lady who was supposed to do the business seemed to have an entirely different idea about it.

It had never even crossed anyone's mind for sure.

Still, befriending and even going as far as adopting a poor homunculus girl technically could be considered as doing such business too, right?

... Technically.

Well, to be fair, even their leader took this unexpected development positively soon after he was told about it, saying that it might be to their advantage. And he had been proven right so far as it appeared. With the homunculus maid's willing assistance, they had easier time gathering information. In fact, it was mostly thanks to her that they even managed to find out the location of the Yggdmillennia's supposedly ultimate weapon.

Perhaps it really was a good thing.

She was such a nice, innocent girl, already very loyal to the young lady who had given her a real name. It was very clear to see if one looked carefully enough how much she looked up to her new lady. One could even say that it was not unlike how said lady herself looked up to her favorite sister...

Truly heartwarming.

That was why said sister couldn't help hating herself for secretly and unreasonably disliking the poor girl even just slightly. She tried to blame it on her overly cautious habit as a professional agent that automatically resulted in distrust despite knowing that the enemy here was way too overconfident to use a spy. In all honesty, she just knew it wasn't it. She could see nothing but earnest loyalty and admiration for her new lady in the girl's timid eyes. And she knew it was actually much simpler than that and perhaps even personal if only she dared to be honest with herself here.

This highly skilled, seasoned agent of the Order of Templars was in actuality simply jealous... and surprisingly enough, not of her number one fan's wonderfully growing attachment to the maid.

It was such a petty thing really, not even worth simple acknowledgment.

She was merely a vassal dedicating her life to her one and only hero.

With that thought, she kept on preparing the new piece of information they found before it was ready to be reported to the aforementioned hero. Here in the safety of their guest room, she, her dear friend, along with the maid had just finished discussing about it. The work might be done for the other two but not for her, so she kept on working in silence.

For a certain spoiled lady, however, it was time for a break. She was laying lazily on her stomach, enjoying the softness of the mattress. But then she got a better idea as her playful gaze fell on her new maid who had insisted to sit nearby on the carpet instead of joining her on the bed.

"Now, why don't we talk about some much more exciting subject? You have any suggestion, Esther?"

"Forgive me, Lady Iri, I couldn't think of any..."

"It's fine." She grinned cheekily, though. "So... how about boys?"

"B- Boys, my lady?"

"Mhm. I'm already in a serious relationship here, so I'll refrain from giving my personal thought about it. But I'd love to hear from you both." Her eager gaze turned toward her idol then. "Let's start with Sister Mari!"

She earned a light chuckle for that from said sister.

"What about me, Iri?"

"What's your preference in boys, my favorite sister?"

"Um, hotter and smarter than me?"

"That's just impossible!"

They both chuckled together this time.

"Really, though." The sister tried to return to her work. "Nothing in particular."

"Really? Not tall, long haired, and perhaps a bit too passionate?"

"Hmm?" The innocent raised of her eyebrow was so convincing. "I don't know what you're talking about..."

And unsurprisingly enough, the lady seemed to believe that as she sighed in disappointment before looking back at the timid maid on the floor with a grin.

"Now's your turn, Esther!"

"Uh..."

"Esther, please..."

It should be illegal to use such unstoppable puppy eyes attack especially to someone as naive as this poor maid. It visibly startled her as her eyes widened in panic, desperately needing to appease her lady.

"Uh... " Her face reddened then as she looked down in embarrassment. "It's just like... what you described... earlier, my lady..."

"Huh?" The lady blinked in puzzlement. "You mean... tall, long haired, and overly passionate?"

"Y- Yes..."

Eh?!

It didn't take long for the surprised lady to connect the dots. Even then, it was just unexpected. She couldn't believe what she just heard, but she tried to remain calm here as she gave her nervous maid a reassuring smile.

"Esther? You know that I was actually talking about my personal guard, right? Sir Victo?"

"Y- Yes?"

"And you... like him?"

"My apologies, my lady!" The maid all of a sudden bowed down deeply. "I just couldn't help it. The few times he spoke to me, he has always been so respectful and thoughtful that I just couldn't..."

And she couldn't finish her words like she was expecting to be hit as punishment any moment here.

Poor girl...

Perhaps she was like this for a reason. Perhaps she was expecting what usually happened when she made mistake around the nobles of this castle. But her new lady was nothing like that at all. In actuality, this lady didn't even think that she had made any mistake, and was rather clueless about this.

One thing for certain, though.

At this moment, Irisviel wished nothing more than to comfort her precious new friend and family member.

"Esther..." She smiled softly. "There's nothing wrong with harboring deep, genuine feelings for someone. I used to be like that too although it drove me crazy. I made mistakes. I became such a nasty person. Even so, only once had I ever lied to myself... I regret that one still because to me, nothing's more wrong than denying the feelings that come genuinely from within our own heart."

"Lady Iri..."

A full blown look of wonderment and adoration shone in the maid's eyes as she looked up slowly in some sort of worship at her lady. Though suddenly those eyes widened and a surprised squeal left her mouth as said lady quickly pulled her onto the bed with a strength that should've been impossible for such a delicate girl. And now together on the bed at last, she was even more unprepared to be treated like some kind of hug pillow, being touched accidentally on places that made her blush. Even then, she had never felt warmer and happier...

It went unnoticed here that the other occupant of the room had abruptly stopped working with her body stiffened slightly after hearing those heartfelt words said by her dear friend.

/

A few days had passed since the humble Kotomine residence in Rome had been left empty again. Except for the absent of a certain red car in the front yard, there was barely any difference, really. It was just such an unassuming house that practically no one bothered to give a glance.

It came as a real surprise then when a blonde foreign woman stopped right in front of the missing front gate. Really, even the classy and high quality clothes she wore aside, she just had this posh air around her stunning figure that made it near impossible to associate her with the shady owner of the house. Most likely she just got lost or something, but she looked way too intelligent for that. She was one of those few who always knew what they were doing, and it showed with how her teal eyes glimmered in recognition behind her slim glasses.

Long buried and hidden memories slowly but surely resurfaced...

Long ago, she used to live here... back when she was just a poor little orphan hated by the world around her... An unassuming hero had saved her then and brought her into safety here... They had nothing much, but they lived together here happily with what little they had... until he took her away one day, and left her in the care of a noble, wealthy family without any explanation...

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she adjusted her glasses stoically instead as her logic forcefully took control of her emotion.

She was here for a reason.

With carefully maintained confidence, the young woman stepped through the nonexistent gate and kept on walking until suddenly she felt a powerful Bounded Field repulse her by eating away her will to approach further.

No matter.

Not even blinking, she expertly brandished the family heirloom she always carried with her, the treasured Mystic Code in the form of an exquisite rapier.

Kross' Glyphic Sword of Negation.

Just as the name implied, glowing teal glyphs appeared along the length of the blade as she attuned her Magic Circuit to it. It took her only a brief moment then to sense the invisible barrier's steady flow of mana before she cut it down with a swift swing of her blade, negating its effect instantly. Her face remained stoic as she carefully sheathed back the heirloom, but in her mind, she once again gave her gratitude to her adoptive parents for trusting her with this power.

Nothing else could stop her afterward.

"... I'm home~" Mostly sarcasm.

In just a matter of minutes, the magus family heiress had made herself an uninvited guest in the not so random priest's empty house. Not that she cared, she thought bitterly. The bitterness was apparent on her beautiful face as she looked around. Because as much as she had come to love her adoptive family, she couldn't help feeling hurt for so long that he thought she needed a proper family or even wealth just to be happy. She knew he had stronger reasons than that, but after his rejection when they were reunited at last, the bitterness was just too much.

It all soon evaporated at once, however.

Her glossy eyes widened instantly as she spotted a nicely framed photograph stood innocently on top of a small cabinet. A particularly warm memory resurfaced as she slowly moved closer to it. Her now hazy gaze not even once left the image of a little glasses girl being held happily by a familiar young boy in the photo. And her hands trembled slightly as she ever so carefully picked it up in realization.

He never forgot...

He still cared...

And she... she had still been his _Chibi Saber_ all along...

Tears finally fell down Sabrina's face as she couldn't hold back a sob. Her body hunched over slightly with the photograph pressed close to her heaving chest. She stayed like this for a moment until she could regain her composure. A soft smile appeared on her face then as she put the precious thing back to its place.

"I'm home..." Fully genuine now.

Feeling much better, she adjusted her glasses again before looking around more. She intended to wait here for a while hopefully until he returned. Though at the moment, she felt so hopeful and just eager to explore the house, reminiscing childhood memories. Hopefully he wouldn't mind, she thought. This used to be her home too after all once upon a time.

Sometimes later, with an uncharacteristically childish grin on her normally poised face, the young woman finally found herself in the upper floor bedroom.

His room...

She could still remember a bit how she liked to sneak into here when she was little only to find nothing interesting each time. A hearty chuckle left her lips at the memory. This time, however, her sharp gaze quickly enough found something peculiar laying near the broken alarm clock.

A small, expensive looking... purse?

* * *

 **This chapter revolves more around Iri because she's the one doing infiltration. And it's not a filler. At this point, there's still enough room for lighthearted stuffs, so I made full use of it by adding** ** **some** character developments and usual silliness.**


	20. assault!

**At last, the culmination of the first arc. It may seem somewhat rushed toward the end, but I just don't want to drag it on any longer, seeing that it's been 1+ year with 100k+ words already. Now prepare for some battles again!**

 **20**

* * *

Preposterous.

It was a known fact that few could rival Darnic Preston Yggdmillennia in politic. He was the mastermind, one who had even once played the powerfully dreadful Nazis like a fiddle to get his hands on the greatest treasure in magecraft history. It was simply unacceptable then to find that he had played right into the hands of the same treasure's originator.

The Einzbern...

Normally, he would've found the thought laughable, knowing well enough that the ancient magus family had been way too close minded to care about anything other than their own field of thaumaturgy, much less politics. However, he could no longer be too sure after watching over himself how the team they had assembled to recover the treasure progressed up to this point. There was without a doubt a formidable figure behind this, a mysterious mastermind of his own caliber that somehow managed to threaten his lifelong ambition.

His grip on the official letter from Mage's Association tightened in fury as he stood stiffly in the castle's shadowy throne room, silently berating himself for his blunder. He had to admit that he had foolishly underestimated and forgotten the Einzbern's influence despite their passive role in society. In his overconfidence, he had not expected that it only took a simple offense of their suspicious representatives being detained for them to receive a full clearance to send an assault. The fact that he had so foolishly taken such obvious bait in the first place only made it all the more unforgivable.

It all had easily costed him a solid political protection he had carefully build for decades, and left him only with a fortress as a last line of defense.

What a wrong way of thinking.

The magus lord really was not a warrior, and his lord Servant, stepping down from the throne, once again decided to give him a much needed lecture.

"Stop fiddling pointlessly with your political mind, Darnic." The dark Lancer stopped near the large window, facing outside stoically. "As I said, certain battles are simply inevitable."

"Yes, my lord."

"Now hold your head up because there is only one path to victory."

"... Understood."

Bowing briefly, he then moved carefully to join the Servant as they waited for the anticipated assault to arrive any moment. The fact that it had already been past midnight made no difference. They had to be ready because as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn't trust even the fortress' powerful barrier to hold up for long against their current enemy. It was foreboding enough that he found himself looking up warily at the starlit sky as if to locate the invisible barrier only to find something even more foreboding.

A star... No, not a star... A comet? A missile?!

Whatever the blazing thing was, it was rapidly approaching the fortress. At the very least the barrier would reduce the impact. To his shock, however, it was soon revealed that said barrier couldn't be seen not because of its invisibility. It had been deactivated somehow. He realized this too late as the threat crashed down into the fortress' main gate, creating an explosion that shook the whole area.

The large glass windows of the throne room shattered into pieces as a shock-wave hit. The magus lord had readily crouched down for cover. His lord Servant, however, only stood there unflinching. In fact, his sharp gaze appeared to gleam with bloodlust as he stepped forward before jumping down through the shattered window to face the threat head on.

After all, once the explosion died down, the imposing sight of the infamous Red Lancer could be seen within the crater.

This was inevitable...

The following battle could only be brutal.

Feeling himself shuddered in fear, the crouching magus stood up warily before turning around in hurry to leave. It was prudent for him at this point to be elsewhere, where he was most needed because it was a given that the assault was not coming only from one direction. He stopped abruptly in alarm, however, just as he was about to make an exit.

There stoically blocking the doorway stood none other than the suspicious Einzbern 'guard'.

/

A fireball soared in the darkness through the barren field behind Fortress of Millennia, followed closely by another, before hitting a hulking stone form head on. Pieces of stone flew away in an instant as the sturdy golem broke apart easily in flame. The one responsible for this grinned widely as she glanced back at her only companion.

"That's the fifth one, kid! This oneechan is just too hot to be stopped, so don't feel too bad if you can't keep up!"

At once, multiple explosions happened in the distance as more golems crumbled to pieces before she got a response.

"Uh..." The kid in question chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry, those are my eighth, ninth, and tenth?"

"What?!" Stopping short, she turned around with an accusing finger. "No way, you little cheater!"

"Hey, it's not my fault I can be effective without being flashy."

"Curse you! Show me how you do it now or I'll tell Iris how much of a 'cheating' boyfriend you are!"

Oh come on!

Begrudgingly, the poor kid nodded, but his hands already moved so expertly to produce four special thin blades each. Then without much effort, he threw all of them so precisely past the angry woman. Eight consecutive explosions occurred then as all eight explosive Black Keys found their marks. Based on the amount of stones flying everywhere, though, the number of casualties exceeded the expectation.

"Oh well..." He shrugged uneasily. "At least I lost count now?"

"You little..."

"I didn't mean that, Caster, honest!"

His survival instinct kicked in immediately, compelling him to run away at once past the growling Servant. Fireballs soon followed his retreating figure that was interestingly enough heading straight into the hordes of golems. He dashed and twisted around so quickly in a clear sign of panic. However, if one looked hard enough, they'd notice that he was not only avoiding those fireballs, but also positioning himself carefully to direct them toward the enemies. One after another, the hulking stone forms fell to pieces in fiery explosions without him needing to waste any ammo.

It seemed like manipulating others had come so naturally to him. He didn't even think about it as he kept on moving almost unconsciously. His mind in fact was focused elsewhere, doing a thorough review of how things panned out so far.

The assault being started this late at night was by no means intended as a surprise factor. Such things held close to no relevance in high-end battles such as this. Actually, the timing here might not even matter at all except for the chance that this late hour could provide the team already behind the enemy lines more freedom to make their move. Though it had seemed to pay off nicely with how the fortress' barrier falling down in time.

The first sound of explosion from the front of the fortress that broke the tense silence of the night had indicated Lancer's arrival and his inevitable confrontation with the enemy Lancer. Here, they could only put their trust in him because no else could even survive against the fearsome impaler long enough to fight back. It was for the best at least as long as the highly unlikely scenario of said impaler's accursed Noble Phantasm being used didn't happen.

Right then, he was suddenly reminded that it had actually been his Servant's offhanded request that decided the timing of the assault in the end...

Dammit.

Hopefully it would not come down to Baptism Rite.

He had another potential Noble Phantasm to focus on here, one that could prove to be a real threat if not stopped immediately. In the best case scenario, the other team could manage to stop the enemy Caster from activating it in time, but that would be too much to hope for. There was a reason he had already prepared a couple of counter measures if it really came down to it. And as it appeared, the first one would be put into test soon already...

There were still several golems left standing after the fireballs barrage, but he paid them no mind as something much larger slowly emerged from the depth of the lake. His gaze immediately sought his companion's then, and as they met, he appreciated that she had quickly forgotten her tantrum. An uncharacteristically serious look settled in her bright golden eyes as she nodded in understanding.

They had not really had the chance to practice this in the field, but hopefully, they had come to understand each other enough to carry it through.

There was no time for second guessing.

The fabled Golem Keter Malkuth had completely revealed its gigantic form at last.

For a brief moment, the non matching duo couldn't help but stop still at the magnificent sight. The Master in particular was taken by surprise at the about five times larger than expected starting size, making him suspect that it had been already activated sometimes before being unleashed. That was a clever tactic. He admitted that before snapping out of his stupor to rush down with both arms glowing as he accessed his Almighty Key.

Somehow, the golem seemed to be abnormally aggressive too.

He had to jump back quickly once he got close enough to avoid a devastating stomp from one massive foot. A terrible crater formed in result, soon filled with otherworldly floras, but it didn't even make him flinch as he briefly checked on his companion from the corner of his eye. His confidence rose then as he focused back on his task, having seen the Servant finished preparing her Noble Phantasm.

Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu at the ready.

Taking no notice of the fox woman and her flashy move, the gigantic construct kept on trying to squash the random priest moving not so randomly around its massive feet. Perhaps the thing would've even looked frustrated for failing over and over again if it didn't have a solid stone face. Though if it had the capacity to be frustrated, it would've noticed that by the time the ground was filled with floral craters, its annoying target had actually finished preparing something.

All of a sudden, the ground under the golem glowed brightly as an anti-gravity grand spell was finally completed. The effect was immediate and even enough to temporarily lift the giant stone form high in the air where it could be damaged. This was an opportunity definitely not meant to be missed.

Caster was more than ready.

As her sacred mirror appeared above the levitating giant, charging up energy, she flew up after it, but instead of just bringing it down to the opponent like in normal attack, she used it to channel her newly learned technique.

"O' Karna, Curse You!"

At once, the power of her Mana Burst was multiplied tremendously as it came down from the mirror in a devastating fiery blast, one that was about half as powerful as the origin technique... Lancer's very own Brahmastra Kundala.

The explosion died down a moment a later, soon followed by the gravity spell, letting large chunks of smoldering stone fall to the devastated ground. With that, darkness returned to the area. And eventually, as the cloud of dust settled, the broken remnants of the gigantic construct were revealed.

Apparently it was a success...

A large grin appeared on Caster's face instantly before she dove down to tackle her unsuspecting leader to the ground with a joyous laugh.

"We did it, kid! We did it! We won! I know I'm awesome, but you're not so bad yourself too here." Feeling mischievous, she suddenly shoved his face into her chest. "Here's your reward!"

"Mmph."

"Yeah. Yeah, they're way bigger and bouncier than your little girlfriend's!"

"Mmph!"

"Sure! Sure, you may have more later, but don't tell her! Such a jealous type that girl is."

After another squeeze with her breasts, she gave the poor kid a break and got off him with an amused chuckle. His face looked really red despite the darkness as he tried to regain his breath. This made her chuckle even more until at once, they both stiffened. Then slowly, with a feeling of dread, they turned toward the supposedly destroyed Noble Phantasm.

Who knew that being in contact with earth not only gave Golem Keter Malkuth immunity to damage, but also ability to reform...

Without taking her eyes off the reforming giant, the shocked woman crouched back down and scooted closer instinctively to the still sprawled boy.

"Kid... What are we gonna do now?"

"... We hold on until Irisviel comes."

/

There was nothing fiercer than a battle between two such formidable Lancers.

As the battle went on, numerous terrifying dark stakes littered the burning front yard of Fortress of Millennia like a grassy field. Any foes, regardless number would have all been long skewered to death already if they couldn't fly like birds. It was a good thing then that this particular foe could fly much better than any birds, though it didn't help much once those stakes started to fly out of the ground and chase after him. For that one, he had to rely on his own weapon and invulnerability that rendered such fearsome yet still regular attacks only as nuisances.

The terrific sight was undeniable, however. It was still not nearly enough to cause anxiety much less fear to a legendary hero like him, but even he had to admit the effect it had on his concentration as he narrowly dodged a barrage of stakes. One might think that he shouldn't have even bothered, considering his invulnerability, but his pride as a warrior took damage with each attack landed. In this case, he knew he was losing to his opponent here who had not suffered even a single strike, though to be fair, the battle would most likely be over once it happened, considering how lethal he was.

This would not do.

Gaining a momentum in the sky, the infamous Red Lancer dove down with a burst of flame toward the one his not so creative Master called as Black Lancer. His flame died down all too soon, however, as the opponent's personal spear met him halfway through, and at once, another stake pierced him from within his own chest, bypassing his invulnerability. It resulted in such a horrific sight with his limp body hovering there, skewered by a dark stake.

This would not do.

"O Agni..."

As soon as the faint call left his mouth, it was as if the very flame god descended upon him. A large fiery stream engulfed his injured form at once, reaching the sky until it ended with a rain of fire. It was truly like a miracle because he was soon revealed to be fully rejuvenated without any sign of the stake that had held him in place or even injury.

From there, the battle had a little pause for once.

Vlad III, as his former Ruler-class Master identified as, was truly a formidable lord, Karna admitted with pride. He doubted he could ended this battle without a direct physical strike. Even if he could use his devastating Noble Phantasms without risking any damage to the fortress, it would not necessarily mean a victory against an opponent who had such an overwhelming control of the battlefield.

There was also the fact that this opponent had not revealed his hidden power.

This would not do.

He had personally requested the assault to start in the darkness of the night for this reason.

Descending calmly until he stood easily upon the tip of a stake, the Red Lancer stared at the Black one on the ground with a strange look of curiosity.

"Show me the Legend of Dracula."

"What did you say?!" The lord looked simply offended. "Preposterous."

"... Do I sense that you're ashamed of your own power here?"

"I would first die one thousand times over before acknowledging that accursed form!"

The hatred shown here only seemed to puzzle the curious Servant.

"True warriors acknowledge all kind of power they have whether for better or worse because there is no shame in the battlefield except for not giving your all against worthy opponents."

That one seemed to hit deep, given the sudden widening of the lord's eyes.

"This power is something beyond even my control. I fear that I would no longer be myself if I even try to acknowledge it..."

"Do you know that rather than hide from it, it's not too late to conquer your fear?"

"... If only it's that simple."

"Admittedly, I simply don't see the problem, still. You only need to show that power who's boss here, don't you?"

"..."

The lord Servant looked rather dumbfounded for a moment until a low chuckle left his mouth, one that shockingly turned into a carefree laugh in no time. His sudden and more than unexpected change of demeanor made his foe look beyond puzzled now. He decided to give the strange Servant a break then as he regained his composure and looked up again with a nearly forgotten sense of pride.

"You are more than worthy, Red Lancer, thus I deem it time to give my all in this battle."

"That is inevitable, Black Lancer."

At once, the Red one couldn't help but cringe after finding himself unintentionally using the not creative name made by his hopeless Master. It made him feel unnecessarily uncomfortable for sure, so he tried to just drop it quickly. There was better things to pay his attention on, anyway, like watching the mythical transformation happening before him that supposedly broke boundaries of logic.

A loud roar resounded around the battle-torn courtyard as Vlad III willingly used his accursed Noble Phantasm for the first time ever. His personal battle with his hated alter identity started at once. It was clearly apparent as his form distorted into a shadowy monstrosity based on his original appearance. With one final roar, eventually it was over. He stood still for a moment, showing no sign in his now blood red eyes of how the battle ended, until slowly his usual look of intelligence returned, overcoming the cruel madness in his gaze completely.

"This is it... No more shame. No more fear! For we are warriors!"

"Well said."

The proud warrior felt the need to give a small nod of approval here, but it made him unprepared to anticipate his no less proud opponent's lightning fast move. Out of nowhere, a large clawed hand grabbed his face roughly, and before he even knew exactly what it was, he found his head along with his entire body being slammed down forcefully backward. The stakes-filled ground under him turned into a crater upon impact, he noticed absently with a blink.

Unfortunately, there was just not enough time to make sense of what happened because before he could even try to retaliate, the hand still on his face brutally threw him away. This time, the victim was the great wall surrounding the fortress as it crumbled to pieces from an involuntary hit of his entire body. It was all still puzzling to him, but his warrior instinct took over quickly, making him stand back up at once since his opponent was already approaching. His immaculate reflex saved him then, allowing him to duck another clawed hand at the precise moment before delivering a direct counter strike.

The golden spear tore through the shadowy body easily enough, but it seemed to have no effect. Instead, from the same body, a familiar dark stake pierced out, nearly skewering the spear wielder once again. As he retreated, however, he noticed no sign of the damage he had just clearly inflicted.

What an unbelievable regenerative ability.

It was then decided in Red Lancer's mind that there was only one way left for him to win this battle. With that decision, he soared high into the sky before stopping for the necessary process of activating the True Name of his certain-kill Noble Phantasm at last.

"On the battlefield, there is no more weakness." ― "My father, I ask for your forgive- "

He stopped abruptly before the requirement of permanently removing his armor could even begin. A frown crossed his face as he lost sight of his target all of a sudden, but soon, he let out a resigned sigh as he sensed a foreboding presence appeared right behind him without warning. There was practically nothing he could do here as he in the very next moment found himself involuntarily rushing to the ground at top speed from a brutal blow to his shoulder blades.

/

Things really didn't turn out well so far. Well, the two friends actually had a pretty good start with having successfully deactivated the fortress' powerful barrier in time. It only turned bad once they discovered that it had been too late to stop the enemy's ultimate weapon from activating because it had actually been done hours beforehand. Then it only worsened when they found themselves being stopped as they made their way outside through the back of the castle by none other than the enemy Caster who had not come alone.

There was also the mysterious Servant's so called greatest failure...

What a bullshit.

As it had been revealed not so nicely, the name was Golem Karidin. It was a larger than average but lither golem fully adorned with metal armoring. By having a name alone, along with distinctive looks showed that it was a special model already. The fact that it possessed the strength of a Saber-class Servant with agility of a Lancer-class only proved further that it was nowhere close to a failure!

Not to mention the troublesome power over electricity.

With some unladylike curse, the young Einzbern lady rolled out of the way of another electrical blast before commanding her massive, diamond-like, ice blade to push the so called failure back. The hovering pseudo Noble Phantasm only managed a glancing blow on the thick metal armoring, leaving one more light dent as the golem jumped back far too quickly for its heavy form. However, even the surprising agility could do nothing when a set of explosive Black Keys hit it from the shadow without warning. The following explosion lit up the dark backyard, briefly revealing the young Templar Agent responsible for it.

Another nice teamwork!

The lady and the agent grinned at each other before looking back readily toward the stumbling stone and metal construct.

It was not over yet.

Despite its battered form, the troublesome golem still looked as ready for battle as ever. And for some strange reason, the too damaged parts of its armor fell down from its stone body at once. This practically left it with only the main parts of its armor, making it not nearly as tough as before, but also lighter...

Speed!

Both girls realized what was happening quickly enough.

Somehow, the construct seemed to be capable of decision making as it then targeted the agent who had been the real damage dealer in this battle despite her stealthiness. The lady who practically had been the tank all along was ignored this time as another electrical current blasted toward the other girl. The attack was managed to be dodged without problem, but the very quick consecutive punch wouldn't be so. Fortunately, the familiar massive blade appeared in time to block the large stone fist with a resounding clang.

The saved girl smiled in gratitude to her dear friend as they decided to regroup. Said friend could only return it briefly, though, because she had to concentrate on controlling her pseudo Noble Phantasm from distance. It would hopefully manage to preoccupy the enemy long enough until the smarter one of them could come up with something.

Hazel eyes carefully looked away from the heavy clash of stone, metal, and ice to the Caster standing still a safe distance away. From the start, the supposedly Avicebron had claimed that targeting him would be a waste of effort since his creations' existence was not dependent on his, but it was still suspicious. Blinking slowly, the eyes finally noticed the subtle movement of the Servant's fingers. A second passed, and suddenly, they widened in realization.

To golemancers, poor Karidin was indeed a real failure despite the outstanding performance since it was more of a puppet than a true golem...

Coming up with a plan at last, the agent quietly told her concentrating friend to hold on a bit longer before stepping back, making it seem she wanted to run away. As expected, the enemy no longer paid her much attention, considering that the real target here was the lady. It would only make things easier at first glance once she left her friend behind.

Not really knowing what the expert agent was planning, but trusting her nonetheless, the stubborn lady kept on fighting. Now that the focus was back on her, even more so than before, it was getting harder for her to keep the clash in the distance. The heavy construct suddenly jumped impossibly high over her massive blade before rushing down toward her with a burst of electricity. She knew she had to rely on her own strength here, thus she immediately cast a quick haste spell on herself, and it was just in time to avoid being crushed.

The next moment, there was a slim window of opportunity... and the high on adrenaline girl took it aggressively as she spun around with a hand rising to call her Arc Divider back for one final strike.

"Divide all incertitude― Arc!"

At once, the pseudo Noble Phantasm whirled wildly with glittering icy trails toward the pseudo golem that turned around almost too late to react. It was clearly meant to finish, seeing how the massive blade managed to completely shred the main metal armoring like paper and leave heavy damage on the stone body. However, as it finally stopped, the blasted thing surprisingly not only still survived somehow, but also had the blade in a dead hold.

Dammit.

The lady was about to curse even more, but then she saw the unyielding hold on her weapon suddenly slackened, letting it go back to hover steadily until she eventually dismissed it. Her gaze instinctively turned toward the still present enemy Caster then, only to find a familiar thin blade sticking out of his chest from behind. A grin began to appear on her face here as she put things together, and it only became brighter at the sight of her favorite sister revealed behind the dematerializing Servant.

They won!

It was not yet time to celebrate, though, so after exchanging relieved nods, they parted ways without unnecessary words. The agent decided to head back into the castle to ascertain some important matters while the lady continued her way outside to assist her precious persons.

Hurry...

Thankfully, it didn't take long to locate the duo, since they were just near the hundreds meters tall, gigantic form of the supposed ultimate weapon, battling it. There was no time to be shocked, though. It also wouldn't help to be emotional, but the girl found it hard after missing them in secret. The boy in particular, she wanted nothing more than to run up to him, and to her joy, that was basically what she needed to do here. Thus, as their eyes met, she could no longer resist.

"SENSEI!"

"Irisviel, come! You know what to do."

Immediately, her beloved took position with his runes covered arms open wide for her. It made her feel absolutely giddy as she ran, only giving her Servant an excited wave as she spotted her in the air keeping the enemy busy. And soon enough, it felt like coming home as she spun around just at the right moment to land her back snugly on his solid body.

They became one.

"Heaven's Feel begin."

Purplish aura danced around them as streams of magical energy coursed from the rich leyline through her body before he channeled them to overload his twin Noble Phantasms. A reddish black orb formed on his right palm and a bluish white on the left one. It was such an amazing sight and sensation, but unlike her, his focus was on his - uh their now! - ultimate Noble Phantasm.

"An end to all things―"

At once, both orbs were then launched forward.

― Zero-Order Convergence.

It culminated with the two condensed magical energies combining right as they hit the gigantic form head on. The result was such a horrifying sight of what was called as the refined form of pseudo black matter. The pair of magnificent orbs had joined together, producing a great mass of abyssal darkness that swallowed everything in the surroundings.

Even the fabled Golem Keter Malkuth was no exception...

Caster who had moved away in time could only gulp weakly as she looked on in horror. It was to her great relief then that the unholy power disappeared as soon as it did the job. Quickly, she turned her gaze down to check on the kids.

Those two really made such a banging couple!

It made her feel kinda jealous here as she frowned at the sight of them being lost in their own world.

"Unless you kids let this sweaty oneechan join in, get a room already!"

/

This would not do.

At some point as he kept being uncharacteristically thrashed around, he spotted the others' arrival. The worst thing that could happen here was for his Master to interfere and end this battle for him. Thankfully, the boy seemed to understand as he stood there patiently with his arms keeping the girls behind him from recklessly rushing in.

Against such an opponent that had gone far beyond Servant boundaries, even the supposedly invincible Red Lancer had to admit how helpless he was here as a Servant...

A memory of the unforgettable battle with a certain Saber resurfaced once again. Back then, the greatsword-wielding Servant clearly understood that he stood no chance, but it mattered not to him. He kept on fighting, struggling, and giving his all for the one mattered most to him. It was that resolve of his that somehow compelled his already formidable strength to grow further along with himself as a true warrior.

This Lancer finally understood here that the true winner that time was none other than his rival. He didn't think he could follow the example this time, however, considering his only one dimensional sense of emotion. Thus, perhaps he really deserved a defeat here...

This would not do.

His eyes widened as he suddenly realized his fatal mistake. For some foolish reason, he had let his pride as a warrior take too much hold of him just because of the much anticipated battle. Then again, perhaps it was just what he needed to learn that other, seemingly out of reach warrior way at last.

The worried but still hopeful sight of the ones he had come to consider as family came into his blurry vision briefly as his weakened body once again was sent crashing down. There was nothing mattered more than those three. He might have fought for their wishes and honors before, but this time, he hoped he could fight for their very feelings.

If he lost here, it would make them sad...

This would not do!

Brahmastra answered his resolve.

The mighty divine power's presence resounded clearly with his soul, clearer than ever. It coursed over him thoroughly like never before. The resulting reddish glow he unconsciously emitted was brighter than ever. Then, as if trying to guide him, the power moved from his fallen form only to converge in the tip of his divine spear, heating it up so intensely until it appeared translucent with a reddish glow.

Brahmastra's Searing Edge...

Unlocking a new ability was such a pleasant feeling, one that he had not felt for so long until recently.

It was just in time as well because his overwhelming opponent seemed to have decided to end the battle. With a powerful jump, the monstrosity was instantly there in the air, bringing down lethal claws upon him. He still managed to narrowly get away, and used the opportunity to try the new ability on the exposed shoulder of the clawed left hand striking the empty ground.

With a reddish burst of spark, the Legend of Dracula lost an arm... and it didn't appear to regenerate anytime soon.

It was too soon to celebrate, however, because the monstrosity with his successfully maintained intelligence almost immediately figured out what happened. His remaining hand shot out at once to forcefully take the weapon responsible for his surprisingly permanent damage from the wielder before kicking him away. It didn't take much effort, still. He noticed briefly then that the strange glow had disappeared from the tip now that it was in his hand, but it mattered not.

Losing the weapon should mean the end for Red Lancer.

Without giving the downed Servant a chance to get up, the shadowy monstrosity charged down in full power, fully intending to finish him with his own weapon. He forgot, however, that the closest moment to victory could be where he was most vulnerable. He also underestimated the cost of losing a limb. And it was just to his bad luck as originally a Lancer himself that this particular Lancer was practically a living weapon, one that would not miss every opportunity to strike.

Using the feeble strength he had left to the limit, the weakened Lancer took the perfect timing to suddenly rise back up, evading a finishing move from his own weapon by a hairbreadth. All the while, his eyes were focused solely on the opening left by the opponent's missing arm. The deciding factor, however, was the fact that he could practically use his whole body as a weapon. A familiar reddish glow in a flash appeared on the tip of his fingers as they turned translucent from Searing Edge power before he struck them right into a shadowy heart.

Their warrior battle was finally over.

Losing the accursed transformation, the Black Lancer returned to his original self as he slumped forward only to be held up by the one who defeated him. And here, for some reason, he couldn't help but feel grateful in his last moment.

"Who would've thought... there could ever be pride in defeat?"

"... Rest in pride, true warrior."

The Red Lancer smiled weakly as he heard one last chuckle from his fellow Lancer before the tall form disappeared. To his slight displeasure, however, he found it hard to stay standing now that his makeshift support was no longer there. The toll his body had taken finally caught up to him, and there was nothing he could do as he slumped forward himself.

This would not do...

He was about to hit the harsh ground... but someone caught him... no... there were three... and he couldn't be more relieved then as he willingly resigned from consciousness... knowing perfectly well who those three were.

/

Nothing could be more frustrating than this.

Even with both shoulders being pinned to the wall with bluish spectral swords, the clearly defeated head of the Yggdmillennias felt more frustrated than pained. He had not even bothered to keep track of how long he had been in such a humiliating state. It was because he had been too busy channeling his frustration through a death glare toward the one responsible for this.

"Once again, I repeat. Who Are You?"

Just like all the previous questions, it went unanswered. The stoic guard with suspiciously Einzbern appearance just stood there, absentmindedly fingering the pendant of the chain around his wrist, which he used earlier to summon the swords. This made the magus' frustration grew further if that was even possible.

"Answer me, you braindead guard dog!"

Finally there was an answer, but strangely enough, it was in the chiding sound coming suddenly from the doorway.

"Now, now. Please don't be rude to the esteemed 34th Knight-Commander of the Order of Templars himself."

Always at the ready, the Templar in question immediately turned to kneel before the all too unsuspecting new presence.

"Grandmaster."

"Well done, Sir Victor." The person gestured the loyal knight to stand. "Your work is as immaculate as ever even against someone of a Grand Magus caliber."

The humiliation reached its peak here.

The aforementioned magus, however, for some reason found his attention was more focused on the new presence's eerily familiar looks. It felt like he had known this boy in a priest attire from somewhere in the past. Having no clue, the frustration returned then along with his glare.

"And who are you, insolent little brat?"

"Little brat... Really?" Golden eyes blinked in amusement. "Oh well, you have aged exceptionally well yourself, Lord Darnic."

At that, a sudden look of recognition finally settled on said lord's unnaturally young face as his eyes widened in shock.

" **Ruler**..."

* * *

 **Oops, poor Lancer! For once, he's the one getting bullied here somehow instead of his Master like usual. It must be a mistake... Seriously, though. I just try to portray the claim in canon Apocrypha that the transformed Lancer of Black could tear apart Lancer of Red. Of course, here our favorite Lancer does it in style despite losing. I also wish it to be an opportunity for him to grow as a character with some new ability and all.  
**


End file.
